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2016-03-04 City Council - Full Agenda-1611EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL RETREAT FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016 Library Plaza Room 650 Main Street, Edmonds AGENDA 08:00 — 08:30 Continental breakfast 08:30 — 09:00 Flag Salute Approve Agenda Questions to consider during the day: 1. Should we continue to take notes in executive sessions? 2. Should we continue to have land use appeals at the City Council? 3. What is the appropriate level of detail or City Council minutes? Ice breaker 09:00 —10:00 Ann Bennett, WCIA Executive Director Presentation: Council Do's and Don'ts 10:00 —10:15 Break 10:15 —11:30 Jeff Taraday, City Attorney Roles and Responsibilities of Council, Mayor and Staff 11:30 —11:45 Van pool to restaurant 11:45 —12:30 Lunch at Anthony's Beach Cafe 12:30 — 01:15 Brainstorm Hot Topics: Homelessness and Pedestrian Safety 01:15 — 01:30 Walk or van pool to Senior Center 01:30 — 02:30 Farrell Fleming, Senior Center Executive Director Presentation on Community Center Plans 02:30 — 02:45 Van pool back to Library Plaza Room 02:45 —0 4:45 Ann MacFarlane, Professional Registered Parliamentarian Mastering Meetings Using Robert's Rules of Order 04:45 —0 5:00 Wrap-up Packet Page 1 of 150 EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL RETREAT SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Library Plaza Room 650 Main Street, Edmonds AGENDA 08:30 — 09:00 Continental Breakfast 09:00 — 09:30 Flag Salute Approve Agenda Questions to consider during the day: 1. What are our expectations for the City's Advisory Groups? 2. Should we provide training to the City's Advisory Groups? 3. Should we re-establish the Transportation Committee, Parking Committee or Salary Commission? Ice breaker 09:30 —10:15 City Boards, Commissions, Committees and Task Forces Expectations Notes vs. Minutes Public access to meeting locations Support staff and consultants Periodic and annual reports Council study requests Training Needs Open Public Meetings Act Code of Conduct and Ethics Policies Robert's Rules of Order 10:15 —10:30 Break 10:30 —12:30 Organizing goals, priorities and 2016 timeline 12:30 — 01:00 Wrap-up Packet Page 2 of 150 WA') Y� Insurance Authority City of Edmonds Council Do's and Don'ts March 4, 2016 Presented by: Ann Bennett Executive Director Packet Page 3 of 150 s WA �� insurance Authority City Council Do's and Don'ts Presented by Ann Bennett Executive Director Washington Cities Insurance Authority Washington Cities Insurance Authority • A municipal organization of Washington public entities joined to share risk — Created in 1981 — Over 160 members Over $170 million in assets — Strongest financials of any Washington risk pool VVA ;,1,001111 lrmiranm Ainhw1w Packet Page 4 of 150 1 Washington Cities Insurance Authority • Provides Insurance Coverage - Auto Liability, General Liability, Employment Practices, Errors & Omission - $20,000,000 per Occurrence - Look for coverage not exclusions • Provides Insurance Services - Claims - Risk Management Common Council Liability Exposures • Land Use Defamation - Arbitrary and Capricious Decisions - Qualified Privilege - Appearance of Fairness Violations o Void if knowingly false or malicious • Personnel - Harassment/Discrimination Public Works - Straying out of authority - Road Design • Negligent Misrepresentation 2 Packet Page 5 of 150 Avoiding Liability Individuals Can Receive Absolute Immunity for Legislative Activities — Adoption of budgets, ordinances and resolutions — Only within context of council meeting as a whole Avoiding Liability Land Use — Know your role -Quasi Judicial or Legislative ? - if Quasi Judicial » Must be fair and impartial- * Appearance of Fairness Doctrine • Cannot communicate with proponent or opponent » Make findings of fact -Avoid Arbitrary and Capricious Decisions I i i.i, rriur Aulh,+dl y' Packet Page 6 of 150 3 Avoiding Liability Land Use - Do not insert yourself in the process • Westmark v. City of Burien — $10,000,000 verdict — Found tortious interference with a business expectancy • Mission Springs v. City of Spokane — Directed official not to issue permit — No legislative immunity — Liable under state and federal law • Woodsview II LLC v. Kitsap County — Delay based tort claims evaluated by overall view of the reasonableness of a municipality's actions — Avoiding the taint of bad faith remains paramount WAS sruluar" Atli lrrrcin How to Avoid Liability Personnel - Stay in legislative role • Set policies, budgets — Do not to stray into Executive role • Mayor, City Administrator, City Manager — Management of employees, hiring/firing, discipline — Can be held personally liable for employment actions — Personnel law changes constantly - Harassment/Discrim!nation • Know Policy • Report to Executive if Aware w'\ . , .-M I nqu.-i•,r HrHmrils 4 Packet Page 7 of 150 Avoiding Liability Negligent Misrepresentation — Do not make specific promises or assurances — Refer specific questions to staff — Do not take matters into your own hands Avoiding Liability Defamation WA 111.0rnur Aulhrult� — If the statement/opinion is regarding a legislative concern you have immunity — Careful discussing individuals • Are they a public official, staff or private individual? • Any untruth gives rise to liability MOEN cities Packet Page 8 of 150 5 Avoiding Liability Public Works — Do not "politically engineer" • Crosswalks, Signs, Speed Limits — Ask for staff input off the record — Have staff respond to requests — Avoid promises, assurances and inflammatory statements �C�._J= r,:. a i. y l rC hur roe i . Avoiding Liability Do not leak Executive Session information — Resist the temptation to share! — Disclose conflicts prior to session and recuse yourself — Claims and Litigation • Can jeopardize defense • Possible sanctions imposed Wi, 1�—" Icu mawr Aotlun i rt 6 Packet Page 9 of 150 Avoiding Liability Be mindful of written communications — Email/ Twitter/ Facebook • Always use City email address, not personal • Use of a personal computer could subject it to search • Be mindful of Open Public Meetings Act • May lose your legislative immunity WA 4� IIUSISII%y' AuI Nm Il1' 7 Packet Page 10 of 150 WA C_' Insurance Authority Washington Cities Insurance Authority Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA) is a municipal risk pool authorized under RCW 48.62, RCW 39.34 and WAC 200.100.010. Through Interlocal agreement, 176 cities and public entities create WCIA to self -insure their exposures. WCIA's mission is to take a leadership role to provide professional risk management and stable risk financing programs that respond to members' needs. WCIA has over $170 million in assets, of which $68 million is undesignated member reserves to handle contingencies beyond predicted events. These are the strongest financials of any Washington risk pool. Through the use of an actuary, the group annually creates over $34 million in assessments to cover liability and property risks. WCIA's administrative budget is $6 million, with $2 million going directly back to the members in the form of training, reimbursements and legal assistance. WCIA believes the Full Board should be fully aware, and in control, of all pool operations -the insured's run the insurance company. WCIA distinguishes itself from the private insurance industry by evaluating claims based upon legal liability not financial expediency. Annually, WCIA handles approximately 1,700 claims and lawsuits with over $17 million being paid out on behalf of members in settlements and over $9 million spent on litigation defense costs. We believe in making good case law that benefits all public entities and actively litigate in the appeals courts, including the US Supreme Court. To reduce the number of claims and lawsuits, WCIA offers pre -loss services, allowing for legal consultation on potential actions which could give rise to liability, i.e. employment practices, land use. WCIA advances effective risk management practices and procedures and requires active participation as an element of pool membership. Through comprehensive training, and committed field risk management services there is a systematic reduction of loss exposures for members. The WCIA COMPACT is a commitment made by all members to participate in training, risk management and pool governance. The COMPACT has received national honors from the Association of Governmental Risk Pools. WCIA's Risk Management team is experienced and skilled in municipal risks. Each member has an assigned Risk Management Representative that provides individual attention, personal communication and detailed risk analysis in support of the formal comprehensive COMPACT program. WCIA staff provides on -site risk management Packet Page 11 of 150 WA ,i6" Insurance Authority' advice, conduct loss control inspections and offer training on specific exposures and controls. The Risk Management Representatives review indemnification, hold harmless and insurance requirements in contracts and are always available to research and analyze liability questions and concerns. Questions or concerns that require a legal review are handled under our Risk Management Consultation Program and often result in Risk Management Bulletins that our available to all members. As part of the COMPACT, members annually undergo a risk management audit regarding a specific department or loss exposure, i.e. police, employment, land use. The comprehensive audit reviews current policies and procedures with recommendations and mandatory requirements to ensure a reduction in risk exposures. WCIA has developed an extensive training and education program offering municipal risk management trainings state wide. Annually over 330 trainings are conducted with approximately 11,000 attendees. WCIA collaborates with other municipal organizations resulting in an expanded offering of co -sponsored trainings. Members with travel restrictions benefit from our website's Virtual Classroom which offers Video Check out or On -Demand videos. In addition to the comprehensive training programs offered, WCIA provides a Member Reimbursement program to assist members in the professional development and accreditation of their staff. The membership receives reimbursements for municipal accreditations, individual and group certifications, and registration for association schools and institutes. For more detailed information on all of our programs and services, please visit our website www.wciapool.orq. Packet Page 12 of 1 L 0 all L LA c 0 ow L 0 0 0 F13 KOEGEN EDWARDS,i,� PUBLIC OFFICIALS TRAININGS- RISK MANAGEMENT BASICS PRESENTED BY: MICHAEL F. CONNELLY I. Authority and Responsibility of the Mayor, Council and City Manager. Cities and towns in the State of Washington are organized, pursuant to statute, in a number of different ways. The authority and responsibility of public officials is different in each classification. This discussion focuses on the respective roles of the public officials within each classification. It does not discuss the many other differences in authority which range from public bidding requirements to the authority to tax. Cities and towns can be organized in the following ways: 1. First -Class Cities pursuant to RCW 35.01.010 and chapter 35.22 RCW; 2. Second -Class Cities pursuant to chapter 35.23 RCW; 3. Towns pursuant to chapter 3 5.2 7 RCW; and 4. Code cities pursuant to chapters 35A.11, 12 and 13 RCW. Code cities can be organized in three ways: By Charter, the Mayor -Council Plan, or the Council - Manager plan. The authority and responsibility of public officials also is different within each code city classification. Attached as Exhibit A is a listing provided by MRSC setting forth how each city in Washington is currently organized. It is also important to keep in mind that officers of a municipality have only such powers as are conferred upon them, expressly or by necessary implication, by applicable statutes. Meadowdale Neighborhood Committee v. City of Edmonds (1980) 27 Wn. App. 261.1 These statutes are discussed below. RCW 35.21.010 lists the general corporate powers for all municipal corporations. It also specifically limits the size of towns in certain circumstances. 1. Two other forms of government are provided by statute but not currently used by any city or town in Washington; see chapter 35.17 RCW Commission form of government; chapter 35.18 RCW Council -Manager Plan. n u: koegenedwards.com Packet Page 14 of 150 RCW 35.21.100 allows cities and towns to accept donations. RCW 35.21.205 allows cities or town to purchase liability insurance for its officials and employees "against liability for personal or bodily injuries and property damage arising from their acts or omissions while performingor r in good faith purporting to perform their official duties." (Emphasis added.) It is also important to note that chapter 42.23 RCW prohibits the acceptance, by any municipal officer, of any compensation or gratuity "in connection with" a contract from a party beneficially interested in that contract: See RCW 42.23.030. A second more general provision further prohibits the receipt of the same "from a source except the employing municipality" for "a matter connected with or related to" the official or employee's services for the municipal corporation. See RCW 42.23.070. The de minimus and other exceptions established for state employees are not expressly applicable to municipalities. However some cities have adopted these provisions. Finally a municipal officer may not use his or her position to secure a special privilege for himself, herself or others. RCW 42.23.070. A. First -Class Cities: First -Class Cities are organized primarily by their respective charters. (RCW 35.22.020). First -Class Cities are granted numerous general and specific powers. (RCW 35.22.280). The power and authority to legislate in First -Class Cities is granted by statute to both the mayor and council, "as may be provided for in its charter." (RCW 35.22.200). If the charter is in conflict with an express provision of state law the charter will be deemed to be superseded or modified. Oakwood Co. v. Tacoma Mausoleum Assn, 22 Wn.2d 692 (1945). If a certain power is not addressed in the charter or state law, the general rule is that such power rests in the city council as its governing body. See State v. Superior Court of Spokane County, 153 Wash. 139 (1929). If a statute or charter calls for an act to be taken by the passage of an ordinance then the power to act cannot be delegated. City of Seattle v. Auto Sheet Metal Workers Local 387, 27 Wn. App. 669 (1980). See also State v. Scott 115 Wash. 124 (1921). (Unlawful delegation of power to fix license fees.) The court interpreted the words of the charter for the City of Spokane and found that the mayor and council both had the power to initiate litigation, the mayor had the power to manage litigation and council had the sole authority to settle litigation. See also Washington Public Trust Advocates v. City of Spokane, 120 Wn. App. 892 (2004). B. Second -Class Cities: The general authority of Second -Class Cities is set forth in RCW 35.23.010; its organizations set forth in RCW 35.23.021, which states in pertinent part as follows: _2. Packet Page 15 of 150 IL The government of a second-class city shall be vested in a mayor, a city council of seven members, a city attorney, a clerk, a treasurer, all elective . . . PROVIDED, That the council may enact an ordinance providing for the appointment of the city clerk, city attorney, and treasurer by the mayor, which appointment shall be subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the city council . . . The city council by ordinance shall prescribe the duties and fix the compensation of all officers and employees; PROVIDED, That the provision of any such ordinance shall not be inconsistent with any statute ... The mayor shall appoint and at his or her pleasure may remove all appointive officers except as otherwise provided herein ... Every appointment or removal must be in writing signed by the mayor and filed with the city clerk. RCW 35.23.051 further provides in part, that: In its [city councils] discretion the council of a second-class city may divide the city by ordinance, into a convenient number of wards, not exceeding six .. . Whenever such city is so divided into wards, the city council shall designate by ordinance the number of councilmembers to be elected from each ward, apportioning the same in proportion to the population of the wards ... RCW 35.23.101 provides that: (1) The council of a second class city may declare a council position vacant if the council member is absent from three consecutive regular meetings without permission of the council ... Vacancies in offices other than that of major or city council members shall be filled by appointment of the mayor ... RCW 35.23.091 sets forth the compensation allowed elected and appointed officials as fixed by council ordinance. RCW 35.23.111 sets forth the duties of the city attorney: The city attorney shall advise the city authorities and officers in all legal matters pertaining to the business of the city and shall approve all ordinances as to form. He or she shall represent the city in all actions brought by or against the city or against city officials in their official capacity. He or she shall perform such other duties as the city council by ordinance may direct. The specific powers of the city council of each Second -Class City are listed in RCW 35.23.440.2 Finally chapter 35.23 RCW has a series of provisions addressing the circumstance when a city is classified as a second class city prior to January 1, 1993, is reorganized into a code city but retains its second class city plan of government.3 2. Additional powers are set forth in RCW 35.23.452, .454, .455, and .456. 3. See RCW 35.23.805, .810, .815, .820, .825, .830, .835, .840, .845, and .850. -3- Packet Page 16 of 150 C. Towns: The rights privileges and powers of Towns are set forth in RCW 35.27.010. The mayor's duties are set forth in RCW 35.27.160 as follows: The mayor shall preside over all meetings of the council at which he or she is present. A mayor pro tempore may be chosen by the council for a specified period of time, not to exceed six months, to act as the mayor in the absence of the mayor. The mayor shall sign all warrants drawn on the treasurer and shall sign all written contracts entered into by the town. The mayor may administer oaths and affirmations, and take affidavits and certify them. The mayor shall sign all conveyances made by the town and all instruments which require the seal of the town. The specific powers of Town Councils are set forth in RCW 35.27.370.4 D. Code Cities: RCW 35A.11.010 establishes the rights, powers and privileges of both Charter and Non -Charter Code Cities. RCW 35A.11.020 defines the powers vested in the legislative bodies, stating in pertinent part as follows: The legislative body of each code city shall have power to organize and regulate its internal affairs within the provisions of this title and its charter, if any; and to define the functions, powers, and duties of its officers and employees; within the limitations imposed by vested rights, to fix the compensation and working conditions of such officers and employees and establish and maintain civil service, or merit systems, retirement and pension systems not in conflict with the provisions of this title or of existing charter provisions until changed by the people ... Such body may adopt and enforce ordinances of all kinds relating to and regulating its local or municipal affairs and appropriate to the good government of the city ... The legislative body of each code city shall have all powers possible for a city or town to have under the Constitution of this state, and not specifically denied to code cities by law. By way of illustration and not in limitation, such powers may be exercised in regard to the acquisition, sale, ownership, improvement, maintenance, protection, restoration, regulation, use, leasing, disposition, vacation, abandonment or beautification of public ways, real property of all kinds, waterways, structures, or any other improvement or use of real or personal 4. Additional powers can be found in RCW 35.27.375, .380, and .385. -4- Packet Page 17 of 150 property, in regard to all aspects of collective bargaining as provided for and subject to the provisions of chapter 41.56 RCW, as now or hereafter amended, and in the rendering of local social, cultural, recreational, educational, governmental, or corporate services, including operating and supplying of utilities and municipal services commonly or conveniently rendered by cities or towns ... Chapter 35A.11 RCW further provides that general powers such as eminent domain, borrowing, taxation, granting of franchises are all vested in the legislative bodies and the duties and procedures to be followed in doing so must be in accord, again, with the general law. (See RCW 35A.11.030) Some general powers granted are: 1. Ability to act in concert with other municipalities (See RCW 35A.11.040 and chapter 39.34 RCW); 2. Conferring the "greatest power of local self-government consistent with the Constitution of this State." (RCW 35A.11.050); 3. Full participation in Economic Opportunity Act programs (RCW 35A.11.060); 4. May provide for the powers of initiative and referendum (35A.11.080, 090); 5. Authorization to pass a resolution allowing members to serve as volunteer fire fighters or reserve law enforcement officers and receive compensation (RCW 35A.11.110); and 6. May impose juvenile curfews (RCW 35A.11.210). Code Cities can be organized in three different ways: (1) elect to be governed by a charter voted upon by the citizens of the City; (2) choose the Mayor -Council Plan of Government; or (3) choose the Council -City Manager Plan of Government. In a Charter City the specific duties and responsibilities of the elected and appointed officials are defined by that charter to the extent it is consistent with the general law. In a Mayor -Council Plan of Government those duties are defined in chapter 35A.12 RCW, and in a Council -Manager Plan of Government, they are defined in chapter 35A.13 RCW. The duties of the mayor in a Mayor -Council Plan of Government are described in RCW 35A.12.100 as follows: The mayor shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of the city, in charge of all departments and employees, with authority to designate assistants and department heads. The mayor may appoint and remove a chief administrative officer or assistant administrative officer, if so provided by ordinance or charter. He or she shall see that all laws and ordinances are faithfully enforced and that law and order is maintained in the city, and shall have general supervision of the administration of city government and all city interests. All official bonds and -5- Packet Page 18 of 150 bonds of contractors with the city shall be submitted to the mayor or such person as he or she may designate for approval or disapproval. He or she shall see that all contracts and agreements made with the city or for its use and benefit are faithfully kept and performed, and to this end he or she may cause any legal proceedings to be instituted and prosecuted in the name of the city, subject to approval by majority vote of all members of the council. The mayor shall preside over all meetings of the city council, when present, but shall have a vote only in the case of a tie in the votes of the councilmembers with respect to matters other than the passage of any ordinance, grant, or revocation of franchise or license, or any resolution for the payment of money. He or she shall report to the council concerning the affairs of the city and its financial and other needs, and shall make recommendations for council consideration and action. He or she shall prepare and submit to the council a proposed budget, as required by chapter 35A.33 RCW. The mayor shall have the power to veto ordinances passed by the council and submitted to him or her as provided in RCW 35A.12.130 but such veto may be overridden by the vote of a majority of all councilmembers plus one more vote. The mayor shall be the official and ceremonial head of the city and shall represent the city on ceremonial occasions, except that when illness or other duties prevent the mayor's attendance at an official function and no mayor pro tempore has been appointed by the council, a member of the council or some other suitable person may be designated by the mayor to represent the city on such occasion. The powers of the council under the Mayor -Council Plan of Government are described in RCW 35A.12.190 as follows: The council of any code city organized under the mayor -council plan of government provided in this chapter shall have the powers and authority granted to the legislative bodies of cities governed by this title, as more particularly described in chapter 35A.11 RCW. The Council -Manager Plan of Government has a different approach. RCW 35A.13.010 states in pertinent part: ... The council shall appoint an officer whose title shall be "city manager" who shall be the chief executive officer and head of the administrative branch of the city government. The city manager shall be responsible to the council for the proper administration of all affairs of the code city... The mayor's duties are significantly more limited than those authorized by chapter 35A.12 RCW. Specifically they are described in RCW 35A.13.030 as follows: Biennially at the first meeting of the new council the members thereof shall choose a chair from among their number unless the chair is elected pursuant to RCW 35A.13.033. The chair of the council shall have the title of mayor and shall preside at meetings of the council. In addition to the powers conferred upon him or her as mayor, he or she shall continue to have all the rights, privileges, and immunities of a member of the council. The mayor shall be recognized as the W Packet Page 19 of 150 IL head of the city for ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purposes of military law. He or she shall have no regular administrative duties, but in time of public danger or emergency, if so authorized by ordinance, shall take command of the police, maintain law, and enforce order. The authority of the city manager is significant. See RCW 35A.13.100 which states as follows: The city manager may authorize the head of a department or office responsible to him or her to appoint and remove subordinates in such department or office. Any officer or employee who may be appointed by the city manager, or by the head of a department or office, except one who holds his or her position subject to civil service, may be removed by the manager or other such appointing officer at any time subject to any applicable law, rule, or regulation relating to civil service. Subject to the provisions of RCW 35A.13.080 and any applicable civil service provisions, the decision of the manager or other appointing officer, shall be final and there shall be no appeal therefrom to any other office, body, or court whatsoever. Council authority over city employees is restricted. See RCW 35A.13.120 which states: Neither the council, nor any of its committees or members, shall direct the appointment of any person to, or his or her removal from, office by the city manager or any of his or her subordinates. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the manager and neither the council nor any committee or member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the city manager, either publicly or privately. The provisions of this section do not prohibit the council, while in open session, from fully and freely discussing with the city manager anything pertaining to appointments and removals of city officers and employees and city affairs. The powers of council are set forth in RCW 35A.13.230: The council of any code city organized under the council-manager plan provided in this chapter shall have the powers and authority granted to legislative bodies of cities governed by this title as more particularly described in chapter 35A.11 RCW, except insofar as such power and authority is vested in the city manager. II. Who Does The City Attorney Represent? This question must be answered to determine whose interests the attorney is protecting; from whom the attorney takes direction; and whose confidences they are obligated to protect. The answer is often contained in the laws and regulations set forth above which define the "authorized constituents" the attorney is charged to represent. The rules of professional conduct ("RPC") define the client as the organization. Specifically RPC 1.13 Organization as Client states: "(a) a lawyer employed or retained by an organization represents the organization acting through its duly authorized constituents." -7- Packet Page 20 of 150 IL The attorney then is charged with representing, taking direction from and maintaining the confidences of those duly authorized by the law to act on the City's behalf. Often, when, for example the mayor and the council are in dispute, this role gets complicated. The first question however, that has to be answered is who within the adopted city structure is authorized to give the city attorney direction. Issues concerning city attorneys and public officials have been discussed in several court cases. Each is discussed below. A. City of Tukwila v. Todd, 17 Wn. App. 401 (1977): In City of Tukwila, members of the city council brought an action against the mayor, city clerk, and city treasurer to permanently enjoin increases in salaries of certain city employees above the level set forth in the annual budget. (Tukwila was operating under chapter 35.24 RCW Third Class Cities, which was repealed in 1994.) This issue began when the council passed the 1975 annual budget and three employees of the Department of the City Clerk were among several employees in various city departments who did not receive increases in pay. The three employees instituted grievance proceedings and a special arbitration committee found no discrimination, but recommended that the salaries of the three employees be increased retroactively. The mayor submitted to the clerk a "Request for Transfer of Funds from the budget of the Department of Mayor to the Department of City Clerk. The City Council then hired an attorney and sued. The council chose not to have the city attorney represent it because council members believed the city attorney was biased in favor of the administrative branch of government. The court found that the transfer was unlawful by examining the statutory authority to transfer, RCW 35.33.121, and the local ordinances addresses that subject, Tukwila Municipal Code 2.08.010. Even though the mayor had the authority to act in an administrative capacity, he was still regulated by the provisions of the ordinance governing that administrative act. The court also held that where substantial evidence of a conflict exists between the legislative and executive branches of government a council is justified in retaining private legal counsel and authorize payment to the same. B. State v. Volkmer, 73 Wn. App. 89 (1994): In Volkmer; the Town of Steilacoom's Council filed a Complaint for a Writ of Mandamus seeking to force the mayor to sign a resolution directing payment of public funds under a contract in which the council retained private legal representation to represent it in a dispute with the mayor over a variance issue. The council thought the variance was unnecessary and that the decision to require a variance was not authorized by the council. The Town of Steilacoom was considered a Fourth -Class City organized under the provisions of chapter 35.27 RCW. That statute provided that mayor appoints the town attorney. The court stated: In Washington, there are two scenarios in which the town council of a municipal corporation has the implied authority to hire outside counsel. One, if the council hires outside counsel to represent it, and it prevails on the substantive issue to the benefit of the town, a court may direct the town to pay the reasonable fees and In Packet Page 21 of 150 costs of outside counsel. [Citations omitted.] Two, if extraordinary circumstances exist such that the mayor and/or town council is incapacitated, or the town attorney refuses to act or is incapable of acting or is disqualified from acting, a court may determine that a contract with outside counsel is appropriate and necessary. In Volkmer the court found that neither circumstance existed due to a lack of evidence that the council had any authority over the variance process or the authority to waive it, and further because there was no evidence that "a conflict of interest existed between the town attorney and the Council to make the town attorney unable to represent the Council." The court recognized the difficulty with the first criteria which essentially requires the council to "bet" on a favorable outcome when it hires counsel but indicated that that was a problem for the legislature, not the courts. C. Eugster v. City of Spokane, 110 Wn. App. 212 (2002): This is primarily an Open Public Meeting Act case, but the court did briefly address the issue of a potential conflict between the council and mayor. In this circumstance the city attorney's office had a number of potential clients: the city, the council, and fewer than all the council members who were parties in a lawsuit with another council member who identified himself in the Complaint as a member of the Spokane City Council, a citizen, voter and taxpayer of the City of Spokane. The initial problem was solved when the city attorney withdrew. Objection to a substitute council for the city and defendant council members were dismissed by the court stating: Mr. Eugster contends the conflict even with substitute counsel because the City's interest in an open and public form of government is directly adverse to the individual Council Members who improperly met. This argument presupposes a likelihood of continuing OPMA violations. Mr. Eugster fails to show evidence that the individual Council Members have a pattern of holding improper meetings or a continuing interest in conducting future meetings offending the OPMA. On the other hand, the record shows prompt, if constrained, corrective action when a likely OPMA violation was pointed out. D. Washington Public Trust Advocates v. City of Spokane, 117 Wash. App. 178 (2003): In this case a council member brought an action in the name of a non-profit corporation, the City of Spokane and the Spokane Parking Public Development Authority. The court held that he had no authority to bring a suit in the name of the governmental agencies as a taxpayer's derivative lawsuit without the consent of the governmental entities. The court cited in part the language of the City Charter, stating: "significantly, under the City's charter only the city attorney or appointed special counsel may represent the City during legal proceedings." In Packet Page 22 of 150 E. Washington Public Trust Advocates v. City of Spokane, 120 Wn. App. 892 (2004): This case arose out of a single question: Who has control of the day to day management of the Riverpark Square litigation, including the power to bring an action against other third parties, the mayor or the council? The City of Spokane, when this suit was filed, was in the first weeks of a new Strong Mayor Charter. The courts decision was based both upon the language of the Charter itself and, by analogy, decisions concerning other Strong Mayor structures. The court affirmed the finding of the Superior Court that [t]he Mayor of Spokane has the authority to make all decisions related to the conduct of litigation, subject to the authority of a majority (or super majority) of the Spokane City Council to withdraw funding, or to direct the initiation or termination of lawsuits, and subject to the approval of the Spokane City Council of any settlement requiring the payment of funds by the City of Spokane. III. Roberts Rules of Orders A. Basic Principles: 1. One subject at a time. "When a motion has been made that matter must receive a determination by the question, or be laid aside before another is entertained." 2. Alternate presentations between opposite points of view. "[A]nd the party that speaketh against the last speaker is to be heard first." 3. The chair should always call for a negative vote (all opposed). 4. Confine debate to the merits of the pending question. 5. Division of a question: If a question contains more parts than one and members seem to be for one part and not for the other, it may be moved that the same be divided into two or more questions. B. Rights of an Assembly or Organization: 1. Constitution. 2. Statute. 3. Charter. 4. Council rules. 5. All quotes and information from this section are derived from Robert, H. M. (2011). Robert Rules of Order Newly Revised (11"' ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. See also Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised in Brief (2005). -10- Packet Page 23 of 150 5. Rules of order. 6. Custom. C. Basic Rights of a Member: 1. To attend meetings. 2. To make motions. 3. To speak in debate. 4. To vote. These rights cannot be impaired without disciplinary action sanctioned by the rules set forth in Section (B) above. A Majority Vote: Most decisions can be made by a majority vote. Certain decisions such as declaring an emergency and amending the budget may require a majority plus one when required by statute. At times there may not be sufficient members to reach this threshold even though a quorum is present. E. Quorum: The minimum number of members who must be present at the meetings of a deliberative assembly for business to be validly transacted is the quorum of the body. A Quorum generally is constituted by a majority of members. F. Order of Business: 1. Calling the meeting to order; "The meeting will come to order." 2. Reading and approval of minutes. 3. Reports of officers, boards and standing committee (permanently established). 4. Reports of special committees (committee formed for specific tasks). 5. Special orders (matters which have been previously assigned a type of special priority). 6. Unfinished business and general orders (matters which have come over from the preceding meeting or which have been scheduled for the present meeting). 7. New business. 8. Adjournment. -11- Packet Page 24 of 150 G. Motions: 1. Business is brought before the council by the motion of a member. A motion may itself bring its subject to the assembly's attention, or the motion may follow upon the presentation of a report or other communication. A motion is a formal proposal by a member, in a meeting, that the assembly take certain action. The proposed action may be of a substantive nature, or it may express a certain view or direct that a particular investigation be conducted and the findings be reported to the assembly for possible further action, or the like. Generally the body does not make a motion to receive a report but to take action. Prior to making a motion the moving party must "obtain the floor" by being recognized by the chair. "The chair must recognize any member who seeks the floor while entitled to it." 2. Process: a. A Member Makes the Motion. b. Another Member Seconds the Motion. If there is no second the motion dies. If the moving party wishes to amend the motion and is has been seconded he can do so with permission of the seconding party. "Modifications of a motion that are suggested before the question is stated should usually be limited to changes that are likely to be generally acceptable to the member's present - form, in other words, changes that probably would not occasion debate if proposed as amendments while the motion is pending. In a similar manner, before the question on a motion has been stated, any member who believes that the maker will immediately withdraw the motion if a certain fact is pointed out to him can quickly rise and say (without waiting for recognition), "Mr. chairman, I would like to ask if the member would be willing to withdraw his motion in view of . [stating the reasons for the suggested withdrawal]. c. The Chair States the Question, i.e. "It has been moved and seconded that..." d. The Members Debate the Motion (unless no member claims the floor for that purpose). In the debate, each member has the right to speak twice on the same question on the same day, but cannot make a second speech on the same question as long as any member who has not spoken on that question desires the floor. A member who has spoken twice on a particular question on the same day has exhausted his right to debate that question for that day. Without the permission of the assembly, no one can speak longer than permitted by the rules of the body . . . Debate must be confined to the merits of the pending question. Speakers must address their remarks to the chair; maintain a courteous tone, and -especially in reference to any divergence of opinion -should avoid injecting a personal note into debate. To this end, they must never attack or make any allusion -12- Packet Page 25 of 150 to the motive of members ... speakers should refer to officers only by title and should avoid the mention of other members' names as mush as possible ... although the presiding officer should give close attention to each speaker's remarks during debate, he cannot interrupt the person who has the floor so long as that person does not violate any of the assembly's rules and no disorder arises. The presiding officer must never interrupt a speaker simply because he knows more about the matter than the speaker does. e. Putting the Question. When the debate appears to have closed, the chair may ask, "Are you ready for the question?" or "Is there any further debate?" If no one rises to claim the floor the chair then puts the matter to a vote, once more making clear the exact question the assembly is called upon to decide. Often the clerk will read the motion again to the body. It should also be made clear by the chair the consequence of an "aye" vote and a "no" vote. A vote can be taken by voice, by a showing of hands or by the clerk formally polling the body. (Any member may call for a formal vote) f. The chair announces the result of the vote. 3. Subsidiary Motions. A member may, while a motion is pending, make a subsidiary motion to postpone consideration indefinitely, postpone to a certain time amend the motion or if additional information is needed prior to amending or taking further action "Commit the main question -or refer it to a committee" by making a secondary motion. The body must vote on the secondary motion prior to returning, if necessary to the main motion. Debate should be confined to the secondary motion. 4. Privileged Motions. A member may, except where there is on the table a motion to amend or for the "Previous Question" may call for the Orders of the Day, if the adopted order of business is not being followed, or Raise a Question of Privilege, if a pressing situation is affecting a right or privilege of the assembly or of an individual member (for example, noise, adequate ventilation, introduction of a confidential subject in the presence of persons not subject to the confidence. This motion permits the member to state the urgent request which can then be dealt with informally or the chair can make a ruling, or a member can move to recess, extend time or adjourn if there is a fixed time to adjourn the body's rules. 5. Incidental Motions. At any time during consideration of a motion a member can make a Point of Order. "If the member believes that the rules of procedure have not been followed" may appeal if any two members by motion and second wish to have a procedural question made by the chair submitted to the entire body; suspend the rules to permit the accomplishment of a specific purpose (for example to extend the meeting); move for a Division of the -13- Packet Page 26 of 150 rl 3 Question; a motion for parliamentary inquiry or request for information, directed to the chair or through the chair another member. H. Previous Question: A motion calling for an immediate vote on the question before the body cannot be made while another has the floor, must be seconded, is not debatable, is not amendable and requires a two- thirds vote. Also referred to as a motion to Call for the Question. I. Unanimous consent: In cases where there seems to be no opposition in routine business or on question of little importance, time can often be saved by a procedure of unanimous consent. For example, if there is not objection ..."). This procedure should not be used for any action wherein it is required that the body act by ordinance or resolution or as specifically required to act by statute. IV. The Open Public Meeting Act. The Open Public Meetings Act (the "OPMA") is set forth in chapter 42.30 RCW. It provides that "[a]ll meetings of the governing body of a public agency shall be open and public and persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the governing body of a public agency ..." RCW 42.30.030. "Meeting" is defined as "meetings at which action is taken." RCW 42.30.020. "Public agency" is defined as "... (b) any county, city, school district, special purpose district or other municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state of Washington ... (c) [a]ny subagency of a public agency which is created by or pursuant to statute, ordinance, or other legislative act, including but not limited to planning commissioners, library or park boards, commission, and agencies..." Id. "Action" means the transaction of the official business of a public agency by a governing body including but not limited to receipt of public testimony, deliberations, discussions, considerations, reviews, evaluations and final actions ..." Id. "Governing Body" is defined as "the multimember board, commission, committee, council, or other policy or rule -making body of a public agency, or any committee thereof when the committee acts on behalf of the governing body, conducts hearings, or takes testimony or public comment." Id. Whether the Commission is a public agency or governing body for purposes of the OPMA depends on the nature of how the Commission was created and its function within the City. A mayor and ad hoc committees established by the mayor have not been found to be "governing bodies" subject to the OPMA.6 However, a task force formed by the City of Lakewood's See Washington Public Trust Advocates v. City of Spokane, 120 Wn. App. 892, 903 (2004); see also Salmon for All v. Dept. of Fisheries, 118 Wn.2d 270, 277 (1992). -14- Packet Page 27 of 150 Planning Advisory Board was determined to be "governing body of a public agency" because it was created as a committee of the Planning Board, and took testimony and public comments, conducted hearings and acted on behalf of the Planning Board and city council. Clark v. City of Lakewood, 259 F.3d 996, 1013-1014 (9th Cir. 2001). A. The following actions were found to not violate the OPMA or were not subject to the OPMA: Where quorum is gathered, no violation if no "action" takes place; no action when there is no official business of the agency transacted. In re Recall of Estey, 104 Wn.2d 597 (1985); see also In re Recall of Roberts, 115 Wn.2d 551 (1990). 2. State agency governed by single individual director does not have "governing body". Salmon for All v. Dept. of Fisheries, 118 Wn.2d 270, 277 (1992). County auditor's office governed by single elected auditor did not have "governing body." Loeffelholz v. Citizens for Leaders with Ethics and Accountability Now, 119 Wn. App. 665, 703 (2004). 3. Interstate "compact" consisting of representatives from the Washington Department of Fisheries and Oregon government was not a "governing body" subject to the OPMA. Salmon, 118 Wn.2d at 277-78. 4. Negotiations of employees of a state agency involved with other jurisdictions do not constitute a "governing body," although a governing body may ratify or accept such negotiations later (which would be subject to OPMA). Salmon, 118 Wn.2d at 278. 5. Telephone lobbying between commissioners would violate the OPMA; however in this case superior court found no telephone lobbying occurred and regardless of whether it occurred, such action would not invalidate subsequent final vote taken in proper public meeting. Organization to Preserve Agricultural Lands v. Adams County, 128 Wn.2d 869 (1996). 6. Candid discussion between city council, legal counsel and city manager as to manager's decision to join litigation regarding state initiative in executive session was proper; no vote was taken when councilmembers did not block city manager's decision to join lawsuit, and manager had authority but wanted to discuss advantages and disadvantages with council members and legal counsel. In re Recall of Lakewood City Council Members, 144 Wn.2d 583, 587 (2001). 7. Meetings or gatherings between legislative members -elect that occur prior to being swornin. Wood v. Battleground School District, 107 Wn. App. 550, 561 (2001). 8. No "meeting" occurs where less than a majority of the governing body meets. Wood, 107 Wn. App. at 564. 9. "Mere use" or "passive receipt" of email is not violation, nor are email communications unrelated to the governing body's business. Wood, 107 Wn. App. at 564-65. -15- Packet Page 28 of 150 10. Meetings between the mayor and special counsel regarding litigation conferences are not within definition of "public agency" or "governing body." Washington Public Trust Advocates v. City of Spokane, 120 Wn. App. 892, 903 (2004). 11. Although county canvassing board was a public agency with a governing body, no violations where no evidence that a majority of the board's members ever met in contravention of the OPMA. Loeffelholz, 119 Wn. App. at 703. 12. Seasonal election workers working on canvassing of ballots were not organized by statute or any other provision of law into either a "public agency" or "governing body". Loeffelholz, 119 Wn. App. at 703. B. The following actions were found to violate the OPMA or be subject to the OPMA: 1. Closed meetings by faculty of the University of Washington Law School (which was determined to be "governing body" of sub -agency of the board of regents of the University). Cathcart v. Andersen, 85 Wn.2d 102 (1975). 2. Public meeting held without 24-hours notice to approve legal action was improper special meeting because teacher strike did not constitute "emergency" exception to notice requirements. Mead School Dist. No. 354 v. Mead Education Assn, 85 Wn.2d 140 (1975). 3. Balloting to arrive at consensus candidate during executive session constituted "final action" prohibited during executive session; final action could occur without formal motion. Miller v. City of Tacoma, 138 Wn.2d 318 (1999). 4. Non-public meetings held by Adult Entertainment Task Force; task force was created as committee of Planning Advisory Board and took testimony and public comments, conducted hearings and acted on behalf of the Planning Advisory Board and the City Council (both the Board and Council were determined to be "governing bodies" of a "public agency"). Clark v. City of Lakewood, 259 F.3d 996 (9th Cir. 2001). 5. Email messages that include a quorum of the legislative body in which discussions or information is communicated that is intended to transact the governing body's official business. Wood, 107 Wn. App. at 565. (A meeting does not require the contemporaneous physical presence of the members). City council approval of settlement in executive session by "collective positive decision". Feature Realty, Inc. v. City of Spokane, 331 F.3d 1082 (9th Cir. 2003). 7. Washington Association of County Officials (a professional entity with statutory recognition and duties) which receives public dollars is subject to the OPMA. West v. Washington Ass'n of County Officials, 162 Wn. App. 120 (2011). -16- Packet Page 29 of 150 C. Committees: Technically, a committee such as finance or a budget committee that takes "action" and "acts on behalf of the legislative body" is subject to the OPMA. Legislative history and an Attorney General Opinion ("AGO") suggest that a committee meeting, where the members simply receive or discuss matters with staff and make recommendation to the legislative body, is not subject to the OPMA. However, if a quorum of the council attends this committee meeting, even as a part of the audience, if a hearing is conducted or public testimony taken, or if the committee's consideration is "legally a necessary antecedent" to the legislative body's action, the OPMA may apply. In the second instance, if the attendees of an investigative meeting constitute a quorum, and action, which includes "deliberations, discussions, considerations, reviews, and evaluations" occurs, the OPMA would apply. ANALYSIS A meeting is defined by statute as "meetings at which action is taken." RCW 42.30.020(4). "Actions means the transaction of the official business of a public agency by a governing body including but not limited to receipt of public testimony, deliberations, discussions, considerations, reviews, evaluations and final action ..." RCW 42.30.020(3). "Governing body" means the multimember board, commission, committee, council, or other policy or rule -making body of a public agency, or any committee thereof when the committee acts on behalf of the governing body, conducts hearings, or takes testimony or public comment." RCW 42.30.020(2). The Act further applies to subagencies, in that the definition of a "public agency" includes: "Any subagency of a public agency which is created by or pursuant to statute, ordinance, or other legislative act, including but not limited to planning commissions, library or park boards, commissions, and agencies." RCW 42.30.020(1)(c). The first question was discussed in AGO 1986 No. 16. The opinion, discussing the law as originally enacted, stated in pertinent part as follows: Thus, as enacted in 1971, the Act did not apply to committees, subcommittees, and other groups that were not created by or pursuant to statute, ordinance, or other legislative act. In 1983 the legislature amended RCW 40.32.020(2), the definition of governing body, adding the language "or any committee thereof when the committee acts on behalf of the governing body, conducts hearings, or takes testimony or public comment." -17- Packet Page 30 of 150 AGO 1986 No. 16, at 5, opines that: It appears to us that the purpose of this amendment was to extend the coverage of the Act to committees, subcommittees, and other groups that are not created by or pursuant to statute, ordinance, or other legislative act ... In our opinion the term "committee thereof' includes all committees created by a governing body pursuant to its executive authority as opposed to a specific statute, ordinance, or other legislative act. Thus, "committee thereof' includes committees composed solely of a minority of the members of the governing body. It also includes committees composed of nonmembers of the governing body. AGO 1986 No. 16, at 6, continues: The second reason for our conclusion is the plain meaning of the words "committee thereof." Neither of these words is defined in the statute. Thus, we must resort to their usual and ordinary meaning. The term "committee" is defined as 662a: a body of persons delegated to consider, investigate, or take action upon and usu. to report concerning some matter of business; ..." Webster's Third New International Dictionary 458 (1971). The term "thereof' is defined as: "l : of that: of it ... 2: from that clause, from that particular: Therefrom ..." Webster's Third New International Dictionary 2372 (1971). There are two definitions of the word "thereof." The first definition would seem to limit the composition of committees to members of the governing body. However the second definition includes any committee the governing body brings into being. AGO 1986 No. 16, at 7-8, continues: We find nothing in the language of the Act or its legislative history to indicate that the Legislature intended the more restrictive first definition. Also the policy of the Act and the legislative declaration that the statute be liberally construed support our application to the broader definition of the word "thereof." AGO 1986 No. 16, at 11, further considered a colloquy between legislators which is recorded as follows: Mr. Isaacson: "Would the bill apply to the meeting of a budget committee consisting of less than a majority of the governing body, discussing the budget with a department head?" Ms. Hine: "No, Representative Isaacson." Based upon the above, AGO 1986 No. 16, at 11-12 concludes: In our judgment, this legislative history establishes that the Legislature intended the narrower definition of the phrases "acts on behalf of." Based on this narrow definition, we conclude that a committee acts of behalf of the governing body -18- Packet Page 31 of 150 rl 0 when it exercises actual or de facto decision making authority for the governing body. This is in contrast to the situation where the committee simply provides advice or information to the governing body. In our opinion such advisory committees do not act on behalf of the governing body and are therefore not subject to the Act. The case law interpreting this issue is mixed. See Cathcart v. Anderson, 85 Wn.2d 102 (1975) where the court found that the faculty of the University of Washington Law School was subject to the Act because it was a "policy or rulemaking body." See also Refai v. Central Washington University, 49 Wash. App. 1 (1987), where the court, reviewing the prior version of the statute, found that a Faculty Senate Executive Committee charged with formulating a layoff play for review by University Board of Trustees was not a governing body subject to the Act. The authority of this committee in Refai, is described as follows: Here, section 3.78A of the faculty code provided that once the president declares a state of financial exigency he will direct the vice president and the SEC to develop a layoff plan. After the vice president and the SEC evaluate the declaration of financial exigency and the cause or causes of the layoff, they are to develop a layoff plan, make it available for review and comment, and submit it with a recommendation to the president. The president shall then decide whether to implement the plan as presented or to propose modifications to the vice president and the Senate Executive Committee. The court concluded saying, "We reject this reasoning because we are not persuaded the SEC's formulation of a layoff plan is a "policy or rule making" function; the SEC merely makes recommendations subject to the president's modifications." Id. at 13. See also Clark v. City of Lakewood, 259 F.3d 996, 1013-1014, (2001). Clark concluded that a Planning Advisory Board's Adult Entertainment Task Force was subject to the Act. The court concluded as follows: The Task Force was created as a committee of the Planning Advisory Board (a "governing body") and it took testimony and public comments, conducted hearings and acted on behalf of the board and the City Council (both "public agencies"). This places it squarely within the ambit of RCW 42.30.020(2). Clark also distinguished Refai, supra, stating: The Refai court, however, applied an older, narrower definition of governing bodies which limited governing bodies to those groups that make policies or rules. ... Refai itself states that the faculty senate executive committee would probably have been considered a governing body under the then recently enacted new definition of governing bodies. In Clark the Task Force conducted at least 10 meetings, the majority closed to the public. A final case touching on this issue is Eugster v. City of Spokane, 128 Wn. App. 1 (2005). In this case the court found that three council members discussing city business does not violate the Act. -19- Packet Page 32 of 150 The court stated: "No meeting takes place, and the Act does not apply, if the public agency lacks a quorum." The Eugster court relied upon Wood v. Battleground Sch. Dist. 107 Wash. App. 550, 558 (2001) where the legislative body met by e-mail, and Loeffelholz v. Citizens for Leaders with Ethics and Accountability Now, 119 Wn. App. 665, 701, review denied 152 Wn.2d 1023 (2004), which stands only for the proposition that individuals working for the elected auditor while reviewing and counting ballots are not subject to the Act. A more recent AGO opinion, AGO 2010 No. 9, provides some additional guidance, stating: We concluded in 2006 that a quorum of city or county council members could attend a public meeting called by a third party without violating the Act, as long as the council members did not take action. AGO 2006 No. 6. We emphasized that whether members take action depends on whether the particular circumstances fall within the "transaction of the official business" of the governing body. AGO 2006 No. 6, at 2. For example, council members are taking action where they deliberate or discuss a decision that they might eventually make. AGO 2006 No. 6, at 2 (citing In re Recall of Beasley, 128 Wn.2d 419, 908 P.2d 878 (1996)). Additionally, action occurs where a governing body receives public testimony. AGO 2006 No. 6, at 2. See also AGO 1971 No. 33 for an overview of the application of the Act. Finally, see the most recent publication from the Municipal Research and Services Center, "The Open Public Meetings Act" May 2012. With respect to whether or not a committee is a subagency subject to the act, it states as follows: According to the attorney general's office, a board or a commission or other body [created by the legislature] is not a subagency governed by the Act ... unless it possesses some aspect of policy or rulemaking authority. In other words, its "advice" while not binding upon the agency with which it relates ., must nevertheless be legally a necessary antecedent to that agencies claim. The same publication with respect to a committee of a governing body, states as follows: In some circumstances, the Act applies to a committee of a governing body. As a practical matter, city or county legislative bodies are usually the only governing bodies with committees to which the Act may apply. A committee of a city or county legislative body will be subject to the Act in the following circumstances: • when it acts on behalf of the legislative body • when it conducts hearings, or • when it takes testimony or public comment. -20- Packet Page 33 of 150 When a committee is not doing any of the above, it is not subject to the Act. D. Confidentiality: RCW 42.23.070 provides general ethics and conflicts rules: 1. No municipal officer may use his or her position to secure special privileges or exemptions for himself, herself, or others. 2. No municipal officer may, directly or indirectly, give or receive or agree to receive any compensation, gift, reward, or gratuity from a source except the employing municipality, for a matter connected with or related to the officer's services as such an officer unless otherwise provided for by law. 3. No municipal officer may accept employment or engage in business or professional activity that the officer might reasonably expect would require or induce him or her by reason of his office position to disclose confidential information acquired by reason of his or her official position. It should be noted that if a contract is made in violation of chapter 42.23 RCW, it is deemed: ... void and the performance thereof, in full or in part, by a contracting party shall not be the basis of any claim against the municipality. RCW 42.23.050. An officer violating the provisions of chapter 42.23 RCW is also subject to a penalty in the amount of $500 in addition to other liability or penalty that may be imposed by law and such violation may be grounds for forfeiture of office. See RCW 42.23.050. Criminal offenses that may arise from actions contrary to chapter 42.23 RCW include RCW 9A.68.030 "Receiving or granting unlawful compensation," RCW 9A.68.040 "Trading in public office," and RCW 9A.68.050 "Trading in special influence." Public officials should also be mindful of RCW 9.92.120, which mandates forfeiture of public office as well as disqualification "ever afterward" from holding any public office upon the conviction of a public officer of any felony or malfeasance in office. V. Public Records Act. The Public Records Act (the "PRA") is set forth in chapter 42.56 RCW. It was adopted in 1972 and courts are to liberally construe the PRA and to narrowly construe its exemptions in favor of disclosure. The PRA requires disclosure of any "public record." A. What is a Public Record? A public record is defined in RCW 42.56.010(2) as set forth below. Courts have broken the definition into three distinct requirements and each part must be satisfied in order for the writing to be a public record: -21- Packet Page 34 of 150 A public record includes: "(1) any writing (2) containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function (3) prepared, owned, used or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. Tiberino v. Spokane County, 103 Wn. App. 680 (2000) (breaking down three requirements); see RCW 42.56.010(2). The definition of an "agency" is broad and set forth specifically above. See RCW 42.56.010(1). With regard to the third test, courts have explained that a document will be "used" by an agency when information in the document is "either: (1) employed for; (2) applied to; or (3) made instrumental to a governmental end or purpose." Concerned Ratepayers Assn v. Public Utility Dist. No. 1, 138 Wn.2d 950 (1999). The court in Concerned Ratepayers continued by explaining that the critical inquiry is whether the requested information bears a nexus with the agency's decision -making process. A nexus between the information at issue and an agency's decision -making process exists where the information relates not only to the conduct or performance of the agency or its proprietary function, but is also a relevant factor in the agency's action. Id. Finally, the court stated "Thus, mere reference to a document that has no relevance to an agency's conduct or performance may not constitute `use,' but information that is reviewed, evaluated or referred to and has an impact on an agency's decision -making process would be within the parameters of the [PRA]." Id. See also Olsen v. King County, 106 Wn. App. 616 (2001). In Concerned Ratepayers, the court found that a technical report created by and owned by a private entity that was referred to throughout the government's decision -making process, even though it was ultimately not relied upon, was a public record. B. Email Records: The fact that the Commission may be comprised of private individuals who may communicate through personal or non -City email systems does not categorically remove or exempt the emails from the PRA. Courts have found that personal emails, personal email addresses and information on personal hard drives can be public records subject to disclosure. Below is a list of court cases that address email specifically: 1. Personal emails sent by employee while at work that gave rise to her dismissal were public records. See Tiberino; 2. Emails between city council -members sent and received from both city and private computers that contained any information regarding government conduct were public records. Mechling v. City of Monroe, 152 Wn. App. 830 (2009); and 3. Metadata from email was public record and City was given opportunity to search deputy mayor's home computer hard drive for necessary information in order to provide record. O'Neill v. City of Shoreline, 170 Wn.2d 138 (2010). -22- Packet Page 35 of 150 IL C. Exemptions: There are numerous exemptions under the PRA. Exemptions that may be pertinent with regard to the Commission include: 1. Documents where disclosure would invade a person's right to privacy (RCW 42.56.050); 2. Personal information (RCW 42.56.230); 3. Certain investigative, law enforcement, and crime victims records (RCW 42.56.240); 4. Attorney -client privileged information (RCW 42.56.070; RCW 5.60.060(2)); 5. Attorney work -product (RCW 42.56.290); and 6. Documents created as part of the deliberative process (i.e., preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and intra-agency memorandums in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated or recommended, except for those records specifically referred to or cited in connection with any agency action) (RCW 42.56.280). 7. RCW 42.56.240 primarily exempts police investigative records from disclosure, the "nondisclosure of which is essential to effective law enforcement or for the protection of any person's right to privacy." Additionally, RCW 42.56.240 exempts "information revealing the identity of persons who are witnesses to or victims of crime or who file complaints with investigative, law enforcement, or penology agencies... if disclosure would endanger any person's life, physical safety, or property." Courts have found that RCW 42.56.240 "requires the nondisclosure of information compiled by law enforcement and contained in an open and active police investigation file because it is essential for effective law enforcement. The language of the statute provides for a categorical exemption for all records and information in these files." Newman v. King County, 133 Wn.2d 565, 574 (1997). However, the categorical exemption ends "where the suspect has been arrested and the matter referred to the prosecutor...." Cowles Pub. Co. v. Spokane Police Dept., 139 Wn.2d 472, 479 (1999). Outside of the categorical exemption, information in investigative files may still be exempted, but must be determined on a case -by -case basis and such determination will rely heavily on facts demonstrating that nondisclosure is essential for effective law enforcement. See Id. See also Cowles Pub. Co. v. State Patrol, 109 Wn.2d 712, 729 (1988). In State Patrol, the records at issue were internal investigations that were conducted pursuant to established procedures. The agencies had already released the reports but had redacted names of officers, witnesses, and complaining parties. In finding that such redaction was proper, the court relied heavily on the factual demonstration that disclosing such information would limit complaints and officer participation due to the possibility of public ridicule and thus would make law enforcement ineffective for such internal investigations. Id. But see Ames v. City of Fircrest, 71 Wn. App. 284, 295-96 (1993) (where police chief had been placed on administrative leave pending investigation and name was already public, he failed to meet burden to show that release of the investigation or his name would make law enforcement ineffective). -23- Packet Page 36 of 150 RESOLUTION NO: 1306 A RESOLUTION OF THE EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS, AND ALL MEMBERS OF CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES, OR WORK GROUPS. WHEREAS, the City Council finds that City business should be conducted publicly, in an atmosphere of respect and civility, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the following Code of Conduct is adopted and shall apply to the Mayor, City Councilmembers, and members of all City Boards, Commissions, or work groups. In the course of their duties, all group leaders will: 1) provide all members a fair opportunity to participate, 2) not permit any member to dominate proceedings or intimidate other members, and 3) not permit any disrespectful behavior toward participants. In the course of their duties, all participants, including leaders, will: 1) respect the individual talents and contributions of others, 2) avoid offensive comments and behavior, 3) avoid intimidating comments and behavior, 4) listen courteously and attentively, 5) conduct public business in an open and transparent manner, 6) assist leaders in ensuring fair treatment of all members, and 7) assist leaders in controlling disrespectful or intimidating behavior. When speaking officially, all leaders and members will respectfully convey the position of their group. When speaking personally, all leaders and members will disclose that their comments are their own, and not made as a representative of their group. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. Adopted this 10th of December, 2013. DAVtD O. EA LING, MAYOR ATTEST! NT1CA CITY K, SCOTT PASSEY FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: December 6, 2013 PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: December 10, 2013 RESOLUTION NO: 1306 Packet Page 37 of 150 CODE OF ETHICS The purpose of the Edmonds Code of Ethics is to strengthen the quality of government through ethical principles which shall govern the conduct of elected officials and appointed citizen volunteers serving in an official capacity (i.e. Boards and Commissions). We shall: * Be dedicated to the concepts of effective and democratic government. * Affirm the dignity and worth of the services rendered by government and maintain a sense of social responsibility. * Be dedicated to the highest ideals of honor and integrity in all public and personal relationships. * Recognize that the chief function of local government at all times is to serve the best interest of all the people. * Keep the community informed on municipal affairs and encourage communications between the citizens and all municipal officers. Emphasize friendly and courteous service to the public and each other; seek to improve the quality of public service, and confidence of citizens. * Seek no favor; do not personally benefit or profit by confidential information or by misuse of public resources. * Conduct business of the city in a manner which is not only fair in fact, but also in appearance. Approved by the Edmonds City Council on 06-02-2015. Packet Page 38 of 150 Print Agenda Memo Page 1 of 1 AM-7549 City Council Retreat Friday, March 13, 2015 Meeting Date: 03/13/2015 Time: Submitted By: Scott Passey Department: City Clerk's Office Tyne: Information Information Sul) ject Title 1:45-4:00: Jim Reid Workshop Recommendation Previous Council Action Narrative Attachments: 03-13-15 Draft Agenda 08-01-14 Cultural Statement & Ground Rules Attachments Attachment 1 - 03-13-15 Session A eg nda Attachment 2 - 08-01-14 Cultural Statement & Ground Rules Form Started By: Scott Passey Final Approval Date: 03/10/2015 Form Review Started On: 03/10/2015 10:52 AM 4. http://edmonds-agenda/frs/publish/print_ag_memo. cfin?seq=7549&rev=0&mode=�hft�.qe31AI%2016 CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR AND LEADERSHIP 'IMAM CULTURAL STATEMENT AND GROUND RULES CULTURAL STATEMENT We, the members of the Edmonds City Council, the Mayor and the directors of the City's departments, are working together to be a high performing team. Our definition of a "high performing team" includes the qualities and characteristics stated below. Together they constitute the culture we are consciously and ardently working to achieve. We're working to create this culture primarily because we seek to be the kind of leaders and public servants that the citizens of Edmonds deserve, a team that will lead the community to an even better quality of life. ❖ We act more often in concert. Our team is more important than any individual. We are working to keep the relationships among us positive and fresh. We are moving forward as a team. ❖ We strive to know and understand each other better and demonstrate that we trust and respect one another. ❖ We demonstrate respect for each other and the citizens with whom we engage by remaining civil to each other, even when disagreeing with one another. We do not lecture each other or posture to make ourselves look better at the expense of colleagues. We do not question the motives and interests of others. ❖ We also demonstrate respect for one another by listening to each other more carefully and hearing each other more accurately. ❖ Our leadership and collaboration are guided by agreement on a set of goals that constitute our highest priorities for the year. They reflect the few big things of greatest importance and urgency to the City, the things that will benefit the 40,000 residents of Edmonds rather than a handful of constituents. Our goals and priorities are clear and understandable, and define the outcomes we seek. Packet Page 40 of 150 ❖ Our approach to working as a team is to begin by identifying common interests and positions on which we agree. If we cannot resolve areas of disagreement, we won't necessarily declare an impasse. We may choose to adopt a policy that contains the positions we agree on, and leave for a future time further discussions on the areas where agreement has not been reached. ❖ We enter discussions willing to listen to and learn. As we acquire additional information and hear and are persuaded by others' arguments, we will allow ourselves to change our initial positions. ❖ Our discussions are open and transparent and diverse ideas and opinions are welcome. We accept that information provided by the Council members, Mayor, staff, and the public is provided in good faith. ❖ Decisions are made openly, collaboratively, and publicly. ❖ We take the time needed to discuss issues in formats or settings that are conducive to learning, exploring, understanding, and exchanging ideas and concepts. ❖ We use email to communicate only to share factual information or schedule meetings. We do not use it to explain positions or to persuade, cajole, or criticize. ❖ The people of Edmonds are influential in our decision -making. Their views are reflected in the direction that we are leading the City and our policy decisions. We are committed to reaching out to a wide variety of citizens and stakeholders so that we understand and our decisions reflect the diversity of opinions that are represented in Edmonds. ❖ We are available and accessible to the public about issues and ideas. But we do not personally talk about each other with members of the public. When anyone tries to entice us into conversation about a colleague, we decline because we do not need to be drawn into discussions about personalities. ❖ We employ a variety of techniques to inform our citizens and solicit their views and opinions. Packet Page 41 of 150 GROUND RULES These ground rules are intended to guide us to: a) make higher quality decisions; b) employ processes that are understandable to and supported by everyone; and 3) work with each other more effectively as a team. 1. We accept equal responsibility for the City's success. We have equitable opportunities to voice perspectives, opinions, and ideas. 2. There should be no surprises in our work with each other. We give each other a "heads up" about what we are hearing in the community or around City Hall, and about what we are going to say or do. Council members work with staff before meetings to obtain the information needed to participate in discussions and debates, and to make decisions. As part of information gathering, Council members seek out staff before Council meetings to get questions answered. 3. We assume the best intentions of everyone. If you find yourself making assumptions about what someone is saying or why they're saying it, ask the person if your assumptions are correct. Don't become captive to faulty assumptions. Get the accurate information needed to be able to understand and agree with each other. 4. Council members will send to department directors their requests to obtain information. (This may mean the Council member is contacting a staff person. If so, the appropriate department director will also be included in the email "To" line.) The Administration will respond to requests in a timely manner, and will provide all Council members with comprehensive answers and the context necessary for greater understanding and collaboration. 5. In making a proposal, provide sufficient context and rationale so that everyone has a better understanding of why you are making it. Differences of opinion and, periodically, conflict are expected because of our different backgrounds, philosophies, and styles. We use our differences constructively to produce more creative solutions than any of us could come up with on our own. We acknowledge conflict can only be constructive if it's focused on substantive issues, not on personalities. Therefore, we will not shy away from disagreeing, but we will not tolerate personal attacks. Packet Page 42 of 150 7. If the Council is moving toward a decision and you find you cannot support it, let everyone know that and the reasons why. This may lead to changes that reflect your interests and allow you to support the decision. 8. When you have a disagreement with a member of the team or anticipate that colleagues may not support something for which you are advocating, call them, or, better yet, meet face-to-face to see if you can resolve your differences or at least understand each other better. 9. Once the Council has voted, we accept that the decision is the will of the majority. 10. If our processes, agendas, or facilitation techniques are not working for you, say so, and we'll work to change them. Packet Page 43 of 150 Executive Session Minutes City of Edmonds Resolution No. 853, adopted on September 16, 1996, established a procedure for writing and retaining minutes of City Council executive sessions. In the past few years, the number and length of executive sessions has increased to the point that it is having an adverse impact on the city clerk's workload and resources. Consequently, the clerk's office recommends that the Council consider repealing the Resolution for the following reasons. First, executive session minutes are public records, which are subject to disclosure pursuant to the Public Records Act. The clerk's office has received several public records requests for executive session minutes over the past several years. Gathering such records and releasing them to the public is contradictory to the very premise for holding executive sessions; to keep certain matters confidential. While the Open Public Meetings Act permits the Council to meet in private as long as certain criteria are met, the Public Records Act does not have an exemption barring disclosure for minutes of an executive session. Although this seems counterintuitive, this is the present status of the law. While executive session minutes can usually be either partially or fully redacted, there are certain instances in which no exemptions apply to bar disclosure. Discussions concerning the qualifications of candidates for elective and appointive office must be disclosed in full because there is no exemption barring disclosure in the law. In addition, when real estate matters or collective bargaining negotiations have been concluded, or the Council has made a final decision, the deliberative process exemption that once applied to bar disclosure is no longer applicable. Minutes reflecting these discussions must be disclosed even though they may reveal the City's negotiation strategy, placing the City in a potentially disadvantaged bargaining position. Overall, creating executive session minutes may ultimately reveal confidences that were meant to be kept out of the public sphere. Because the executive session minutes are subject to disclosure pursuant to the Public Records Act, the city clerk's office and the city attorney's office spend numerous hours retrieving, assembling, and reviewing executive session minutes in response to public records requests. As one example, the city clerk's office spent over 50 hours responding to a single request for executive session minutes; this estimate does not include the amount of time expended by the city attorney's office. : Second, City Council review of past executive session minutes are rare. As such, if one of the purposes of executive session minutes is to inform Councilmembers of past executive session discussions, then it is clear that the time and effort expended to create the minutes is not justified. 1 Packet Page 44 of 150 • Third, one of the stated purposes of executive session minutes, as outlined in Resolution No. 853, is to advise the public of the substance of an executive session if appropriate, and to have a record of the nature of the executive session in the event that the decision to hold a closed session is judicially challenged. Legal challenges to such decisions before a court are either nonexistent or extremely rare in the City of Edmonds. • Fourth, Municipal Research & Services Center (MRSC) has studied the issue of executive session minutes and agrees that it is not a good idea. Most Washington cities do not require minute -taking because state law specifically excludes executive sessions from the minutes requirement (see RCW 42.32.030). If the City does create official minutes, however, they are a public record. There is no wholesale exemption for executive session records in the PRA, so unless some other specific exemption applies, those minutes must be disclosed in their entirety. Given that the purpose of executive sessions is to allow confidential discussion amongst Councilmembers and other necessary staff without the public in attendance, taking minutes defeats this purpose. MRSC responded to the question of executive session minutes as a Featured Inquiry on their webpage, entitled Ask MRSC — Governance, as follows: "MRSC has consistently taken the position that minutes are not required for an executive session. This position is based on RCW 42.32.030, which states: The minutes of all regular and special meetings except executive sessions of such boards, commissions, agencies or authorities shall be promptly recorded and such records shall be open to public inspection. Although, this statute could be worded better for purposes of this issue, the clear implication is that "boards, commissions, agencies or authorities" need not take minutes when meeting in executive session. The courts have not addressed this issue. MRSC recommends that minutes not be kept of executive sessions because then a public records request could be made for the minutes and there is not an automatic exemption from disclosure that applies." Jim Doherty, MRSC Legal Consultant, and Toby Nixon, President, Washington Coalition for Open Government, provided presentations regarding executive session minutes to the City Council on August 28, 2012 (minutes attached). The clerk's office followed up with Mr. Doherty in January, 2016 to find out if there has been any movement in the past few years by other Washington cities to start taking minutes of executive sessions. Mr. Doherty responded that MRSC is not aware of any other cities that have begun to take minutes of executive sessions. He suspects that most cities: 1. Feel no need to have minutes of executive sessions; and/or 2 Packet Page 45 of 150 2. Have been advised by their legal counsel that the existence of executive session minutes would create potential PRA issues for which there is no clear answer. • Finally, the City spends a great deal of time creating minutes of executive sessions. The city clerk or deputy city clerk must attend the executive session and then produce minutes based on notes taken during the session. For an average executive session, the total amount of time producing the minutes is approximately four times the length of the session. For example, the clerk will spend approximately four additional hours writing, reviewing, clarifying, printing, and archiving minutes for a 60-minute executive session. Managing executive session minutes consumes time that could be used for other competing priorities, such as the business license program, public records disclosure, and records management. ■ The clerk's office recognizes the importance of the Open Public Meetings Act and the public's right to remain informed and retain control over the government they have created. The clerk's office also recognizes that executive sessions are meetings allowed to be closed to the public because the people, through the legislature, have determined that it is more in the public interest than not that the specific information to be discussed be kept secret for some period of time. Based on the above analysis, the clerk recommends that the City Council repeal Resolution No. 853. Even if the Resolution is repealed, the clerk's office and city attorney will continue to expend resources managing the existing 20-year archive of executive session minutes. However, repealing the Resolution will effectively limit the size of this ever-growing archive, and free up the clerk's office to work on other priorities. The clerk's office strives to implement best practices; however, the irony is that executive session minutes are not even considered a good practice. For these reasons, we request that the City Council discuss the resources, impacts and risks related to creating and retaining executive session minutes and repeal the enabling Resolution. 3 Packet Page 46 of 150 0006.110.090 WSS/gjz 09/27/96 R:08/28/96gjz RESOLUTION NO. 853 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, ESTABLISHING A PROCEDURE FOR KEEPING AND RETAINING MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL EXECUTIVE SESSIONS. WHEREAS, no provision of state law requires the City to keep minutes of executive sessions of its City Council; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds it to be in the public interest to maintain summary minutes of executive sessions subject to release in accordance with the provisions of state law, if and when, the reason for the executive session expires; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds it to be in the public interest to provide a summary record of proceedings in order that, at some future date, the public may be advised of the substance of an executive session and in situations where such release is not appropriate, to have a record of the nature of the executive session in the event that its decision to close a session is judicially challenged; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council hereby authorizes minutes of its executive session to be prepared. Minutes may be kept by the City Clerk or her deputy, the City Attorney or another staff member designated by the Mayor. Such minutes shall be kept in summary form 141434.1R -I- Packet Page 47 of 150 specifying the subjects discussed and staff direction given, if any. Since no action as defined pursuant to chapter 42.30 RCW may be taken in executive session, no action will typically be recorded but, in the event that a consensus of the City Council provides direction to the staff, such consensus may be needed. Such minutes shall not be released pursuant to RCW 42.17.250 I WQ for as long as the basis for the executive session as defined by RCW 42.30.110 exists. Section 2. Release of minutes shall be undertaken in accordance with the provisions of RCW 42.17.250 et sect and RCW 42.30.110. Upon receipt of a written request for the release of Council minutes relating to any executive session, the City Clerk shall confer with the City Attorney and provide or deny release of such minutes in accordance with the provisions of state law. lion 3 In the event of conflict with any provisions of this policy and the state Open Public Meetings and Records Act, RCW 42.17.310, et seq, the provisions of state law shall apply as the same exists or is hereafter amended. All provisions of these policies shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the provisions of state law in order to implement its policy of full public disclosure. RESOLVED this 16 day of September , 1996 141434.1R -2- APPROVED: `- MAYOR, BARBARA S. FAHEY Packet Page 48 of 150 ATTEST/ AUTHENTICATED : C TY CLERK, SANDRA S. CHASE FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: 09/03/96 PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: 09/16/96 RESOLUTION NO. 853 141434.1R -3- Packet Page 49 of 150 tributed to different groups around the county. The ESSP is studying a standardized permitting pros Because this is new technology, many jurisdictions do not have a permitting process to address it. The ERR will likely make a recommendation regarding fees, but each jurisdiction will establish its own fees. Councilmember Bucksh ' o.inted out without a permit, the City would not know how many residences have solar systems. She supp d lowering the permit fee to provide incentive for solar installations. She asked about Exhibit 1 in the pa t, Community Solar Fee Comparison. Mr. Yarberry advised the numbers were provided by Mr. Bemhei and were used by staff to calculate a baseline fee for Phase 1 of the Frances Anderson Center project. Councilmember Johnson suggested evaluating the am t of time spent on plan review and inspection in determining the fee for a commercial solar installation. Council President Peterson observed if the Council took no action, taff would continue with the fee structure for residential installations as described. Mr. Yarberry agre Council President Peterson observed waiving fees would require Council action. Mr. Yarberry agreed. Council President Peterson disclosed he owns a slice of the solar installation on the ces Anderson Center and has promised to donate any profits from it to Sustainable Edmonds. The Council took no action with regard to this item. 7. DISCUSSION REGARDING TAKING MINUTESINOTES DURING EXECUTWE SESSIONS. Council President Peterson explained the Council began discussing the taking of minutes/notes during executive sessions at the 2012 Council retreat. Upon further Council and Committee direction, he was asked to schedule a broader discussion along with presentations from outside interested parties. Jim Doherty, Legal Consultant, Municipal Research Service Center (MRSC), explained MRSC has functioned in Washington for over 75 years as an advisory group to cities, counties and special purpose districts on a wide range of issues. MRSC has 25 staff members including 6 attorneys, 2 planners, a finance consultant, policy consultants and has the most extensive local government library in the State. MRSC's website, www.MRSC.or , is open to the public. He has been with MRSC for over 19 years and authors and updates the Public Records Act (PRA) publication as well as has addressed many questions over the years regarding Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) issues. Mr. Doherty relayed he had reviewed Council minutes where the issue of taking minutes/notes during executive session had been discussed and City Attorney Taraday's input regarding the pattern in Washington cities. He was also provided an email from Ken Reidy that contained a blog post and responses regarding this issue. Mr. Doherty relayed MRSC is not aware of any cities in the State of Washington that take minutes of executive sessions or record executive sessions. He found a reference that was confirmed by Mr. Nixon that the Port of Seattle records their executive sessions because of scrutiny by the State Auditor's Office due to past problems. MRSC's advice to cities over the last 20 years is that cities not take minutes of executive sessions. He clarified it was not that MRSC was for or against open government, as a practical matter there is some uncertainty regarding the status of minutes of executive sessions because they usually are not taken; there is no specific exemption in the PRA for minutes of executive sessions. MRSC's position is cautious; their advice is why create a problem that cities do not need. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 5 Packet Page 50 of 150 Mr. Doherty explained the purpose of minutes is an official record of action taken by the Council. Executive sessions are discussion and not final action; any action is taken during open session. Thus the purpose of minutes of an executive session is not clear because no action is taken. Councilmember Buckshnis expressed her appreciation for the work MRSC does for city officials, recalling she utilized their resources regarding financial transparency. She asked about taking notes of executive session rather than minutes. Mr. Doherty asked who would take the notes. If a Councilmember takes notes in executive session for their own use, they are similar to notes taken during an open Council meeting. There is case law that supports the view that those are not public records, they are a Councilmember's own personal notes, not taken at the request of the City, and not used by the City. He cited Jacobellis v. Bellingham where the court found personal notes are not a public record. Councilmember Buckshnis asked about notes taken by the City Clerk. Mr. Doherty answered if those notes are minutes, a record of the executive session, under one statute they are not open to public inspection. He noted it is unclear as the statute was written long before the PRA was adopted. Councilmember Petso asked about the statute that distinguishes Clerk's notes from a public record. Mr. Doherty answered RCW 42.32.030 which was passed in 1953 and has never been amended. Councilmember Johnson observed one question is whether a written record should be kept of executive sessions. She asked what should be done with the records maintained of executive sessions over the past seven years if the Council decided to stop keeping a written record; should they be destroyed or were they subject to public record requests. Mr. Doherty answered their destruction would depend on how the records retention schedule applied to those records. The retention schedule for minutes of regular Council meeting minutes requires they be kept permanently. He was uncertain whether that would apply to notes of an executive session. With regard to public records requests for those notes, he referred the Council to the City Attorney. He recognized many of the notes are related to attorney -client privilege where exemptions clearly apply. Councilmember Johnson commented if the Council chose to stop taking minutes of executive sessions, the Council could audio record executive sessions. She asked whether Mr. Doherty knew of any other cities, other than the Port of Seattle, that audio record their executive sessions. Mr. Doherty answered he did not. He pointed out there is no exemption that applies to an audio recording, whether video or voice, and if no exemption applies, it must be disclosed. If the City made an audio recording of an executive session and someone requested it, the City would need to provide it. That could be problematic if the Council was discussing a real estate purchase or other sensitive issues. Councilmember Johnson commented she had not heard that before; it was a key point. Mr. Doherty commented there was legislation pending this year and in past years regarding recording of executive sessions but it included a provision that any challenge would require a judge review the recording in chambers and exemptions would apply. That legislation did not pass and there is currently no exemption in the law for a recording of an executive session. Unless that is clarified, he recommended cities not record executive sessions. Councilmember Johnson asked whether any legislation regarding recording of executive sessions was anticipated in the next legislative session. Mr. Doherty answered that was difficult to anticipate; it has been raised in the past and has not been passed. It may be introduced again as the Coalition for Open Government and other groups believe it is an important issue. Councilmember Johnson summarized Mr. Doherty's recommendation was that the City do not maintain written records or audio recordings of executive sessions and whatever records of executive sessions the City has created would be maintained in accordance with the records retention schedule. Mr. Doherty agreed with her summary. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 6 Packet Page 51 of 150 Toby Nixon, President, Washington Coalition for Open Government (WCOG), explained he is a former member of the State Legislature, served as ranking member on a Committee of the House that had responsibility for the open government laws of Washington, and is currently a City of Kirkland Councilmember, elected in November 2011. Mr. Nixon commented this has been one of WCOG's highest priority issues for several years. WCOG is a statewide non-profit, non -partisan organization dedicated to defending and extending the people's right to know what their government is doing. WCOG focuses most of its energy on the PRA and OPMA but also works on open courts, open legislative process, open rule -making processes, follows the workings of the Public Disclosure Commission, disclosure of campaign finance and lobbyist information, whistle -blower laws, ethics laws, and anything related to transparency and accountability in government. This is accomplished via four programs: education, litigation, legislation and recognition. He relayed language from RCW 42.30.010, "The legislature finds and declares that all public commissions, boards, councils, committees, subcommittees, departments, divisions, offices, and all other public agencies of this state and subdivisions thereof exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of this chapter that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly. The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what_ is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created." Mr. Nixon provided a definition of executive session: "Executive sessions are meetings allowed (but not required) to be closed to the public because the people, through their legislative representatives, have determined that it is more in the public interest than not that the specific information to be discussed be kept secret for some period of time." To the question of whether recordings should be made, Mr. Nixon said yes. Agencies can choose today to make audio or video recordings, or to keep notes or minutes, of executive sessions. There is no prohibition of such recordings. Recordings can be useful for a number of agency purposes: • To resolve disagreements over what transpired or was said • To hold attorneys and others accountable for advice given or information provided in closed meetings • To allow newly -appointed or newly -elected members of the body to catch up on previous executive session discussions • To improve the ability of the agency to defend itself if it is accused of having an inappropriate discussion in an executive session Mr. Nixon relayed reasons some many do not want executive sessions recorded: • Would interfere with frank, honest, free -flowing conversations. He emphasized that is the paint, executive sessions should be limited to only the allowed topic and nothing more. Members should not need to be behind closed doors to have a frank and honest discussion. • Recording is expensive. He cited the reasonable cost of a digital audio recorder. Operation is trivial. The recorder can be plugged into a PC via USB cable and recordings transferred to a secure server, and be as well protected as any other confidential electronic city records. No need for expensive safes, locked file cabinets, or large amounts of storage space. • Risk of disclosure under the Public Records Act. Mr. Nixon relayed information from RCW 42.56.010 Definitions, of "public record" and "writing," agreeing that audio recordings are records, including voicemails. He acknowledged recordings are not automatically exempt. Recordings of several of the allowed topics for executive sessions would be exempt from disclosure, but not all. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 7 Packet Page 52 of 150 Mr. Nixon explained the Port of Seattle Digitally records all executive sessions. They submit records to outside counsel for periodic review for compliance. They have not had many requests for disclosure although who knows what will happen with current controversy. Mr. Nixon described the allowable topics for executive session (RCW 42.30.110) and his response to each (in italics): (a) To consider matters affecting national security. Rarely applies to cities. Some topics covered under 42.56.420 (security plans and vulnerabilities, prevention of terrorist acts). (b) To consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate by lease or purchase when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of increased price. (c) To consider the minimum price at which real estate will be offered for sale or lease when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of decreased price. However, final action selling or leasing public property shall be taken in a meeting open to the public. Real estate appraisals are covered by 42.56.260, but not discussion of price willing to pay or sell for, or the fact that the city is interested in the property. (d) To review negotiations on the performance of publicly bid contracts when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of increased costs. Not covered by any known PRA exemption. (f) To receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee. However, upon the request of such officer or employee, a public hearing or a meeting open to the public shall be conducted upon such complaint or charge. Records of complaints against public employees are disclosable unless determined to be unsubstantiated or false. 42.56.230(3), Bellevue John Does v. Bellevue School District. Some records may be exempt under the investigatory records exemption, 42.56.240(1). Identity of persons filing complaints may be exempt under 42.56.240(2) if their life, safety, or property may be endangered by disclosure, and they request non -disclosure. (g) To evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment or to review the performance of a public employee. However, subject to RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion by a governing body of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public, and when a governing body elects to take final action hiring, setting the salary of an individual employee or class of employees, or discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public; Names, resumes, other application materials are exempt from disclosure under 42.56.250(2). No exemption for other content of discussion. (h) To evaluate the qualifications of a candidate for appointment to elective office. However, any interview of such candidate and final action appointing a candidate to elective office shall he in a meeting open to the public; Not exempt under PRA. (i) To discuss with legal counsel representing the agency matters relating to agency enforcement actions, or to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is, or is likely to become, a parry, when public knowledge regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency. All materials are likely exempt under RCW 42.56.290 or 5.60.060(2)(a), which are broader than the allowed purposes for executive sessions for attorney -client communication, and include all "attorney work product". Topics for executive session not applicable to cities include: (e) ...export trading company...; 0) ... state library... ; Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 8 Packet Page 53 of 150 (k) ...state investment board...; (1) ...state purchased health care services...; (m) ...life sciences discovery fund authority... ; (n) ...health sciences and services authority...; (o) ...innovate Washington... Mr. Nixon referred to RCW 42.30.140 that describes meetings that are not technically "executive sessions," in that they do not require the agency to first convene in an announced public meeting, declare the purpose and duration of the closed meeting, and then return to public session to adjourn. He explained "140" meetings can be entirely secret, although many agencies treat them the same as "110" executive sessions. Mr. Nixon reviewed the four types of meetings described in RCW 42.30.140 and his response to each (in italics): (1) The proceedings concerned with the formal issuance of an order granting, suspending, revoking, or denying any license, permit, or certificate to engage in any business, occupation, or profession or to any disciplinary proceedings involving a member of such business, occupation, or profession, or to receive a license for a sports activity or to operate any mechanical device or motor vehicle where a license or registration is necessary; or Business license proceedings occur in cities, but are not exempt under the PRA. (2) That portion of a meeting of a quasi-judicial body which relates to a quasi-judicial matter between named parties as distinguished from a matter having general effect on the public or on a class or group; or Cities have quasi-judicial discussions for permitting, etc. Not exempt under the PRA. (3) Matters governed by chapter 34.05 RCW, the Administrative Procedure Act; or Does not apply to cities. (4)(a) Collective bargaining sessions with employee organizations, including contract negotiations, grievance meetings, and discussions relating to the interpretation or application of a labor agreement; or (b) that portion of a meeting during which the governing body is planning or adopting the strategy or position to be taken by the governing body during the course of any collective bargaining, professional negotiations, or grievance: or mediation proceedings, or reviewing the proposals made in the negotiations or proceedings while in progress. Information regarding unfair practices exempt under 42.56.250(4) and (S). Otherwise, not exempt under PRA. Mr. Nixon relayed WCOG's support for enactment of additional PRA exemptions: • Specific public records exemptions to cover each of the executive session topics, even if the material is discussed in writing rather than in an executive session. • Blanket public records exemption for all recordings, minutes, and notes of executive sessions. This would also cover materials prepared by staff for review during executive sessions. Materials provided in executive session today are not exempt from disclosure under the PRA unless communications from the City Attorney protected by attorney -client privilege. In the meantime, WCOG recommends Council's be selective; have a policy to not record executive sessions when the discussion would not be exempt from the PRA, or retain only a high-level summary of the nature of the discussion without the key details. They recommend cities consider the benefits of recordings or notes on key topics that would be exempt from disclosure. For example because there is a broad exemption for attorney -client privilege communications and since attorney -client communications are the most frequent purpose for executive sessions, the Council may decide to record those executive sessions. Mr. Nixon provided WCOG's contact information: Washington Coalition for Open Government, 6351 Seaview Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107; (206) 782-0393; info @washin onto .or ; www.washin oncog.org. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 9 Packet Page 54 of 150 Councilmember Fraley-Monillas asked why no cities in the State kept minutes or record executive sessions. Mr. Nixon answered it is due to the concern about possible disclosure if a member of the public submitted a properly worded public records request. Councilmember Fraley-Monillas asked whether Kirkland keeps minutes or records executive sessions. Mr. Nixon answered Kirkland does not. Councilmember Fraley-Monilas asked why Councils have executive sessions. Mr. Nixon answered it was because the legislature decided it was more in the public interest than not to have that discussion in secret and to keep the content secret for at least some period of time. For example if the Council were to discuss the most they were willing to pay for property and that information became public and known to the property owners, that would become the price of the property and the City's ability to negotiate a lower price would be extremely limited. Councilmember Fraley-Monillas asked about executive session for labor negotiations. Mr. Nixon responded when he was in the legislature, he advocated for removing labor negotiations as an allowed topic for executive session; he personally believes labor negotiations should occur in public as they do in many other states. Councilmember Buckshnis asked if one of the legislature's responsibilities was to be risk managers. Mr. Nixon answered one would hope they had that exposure in mind when they passed bills. In his experience, that did not always happen because the analysis has not been deep enough. Councilmember Buckshnis asked as risk managers, shouldn't the goal be to prevent litigation; recordings of executive session could expose Councilmembers and the City to liability. Mr. Nixon answered it was unlikely to expose Councilmembers individually. There could be scenarios for liability based on the content of the recording such as inappropriate statements or incorrect information made in executive session that could be considered libel. His focus was the purpose of the executive session; attorney -client privilege is obvious, the Council does not want to expose its courtroom strategy to the opposition in a lawsuit. Councilmember Buckshnis commented if executive sessions were recorded, Councilmembers would need to be more careful about what they said. Mr. Nixon answered that was a good thing; people in leadership positions should think carefully before they speak. As a Councilmember himself, before saying or emailing anything, he assumes it will be printed on the front page of the Seattle Times the next day. Councilmember Buckshnis commented she did not object to disclosing information discussed in executive sessions regarding real estate once the transaction had been completed. She recognized confidentiality must be maintained for some other topics. Mr. Nixon referred to the fundamental principles of the PRA and OPMA, the people are sovereign, they have a right to know what their government is doing, and it is up to them to decide what is good for them to know, not for elected officials to decide what is good for them to know. Rather than determining what topics were exempt from the PRA, Councilmember Yamamoto suggested it would be simpler not to record executive sessions. He suggested that was why no other cities recorded executive sessions. Mr. Nixon agreed without a blanket exemption for recordings of executive sessions, cities are unwilling to determine what executive session topics should and should not be recorded. If the idea of recording executive sessions for its own use is something the Edmonds City Council would like, he urged them to request that AWC support legislation that would allow it. Councilmember Yamamoto referred to Mr. Nixon's comment about handouts provided during executive sessions. Mr. Nixon explained if a document is produced by City staff and distributed in executive session, it does not become a protected document because it was viewed in executive session. It is a public record like any other City document. Unless there is an exemption covering the content of the document, it must be released if a member of the public requested it. Councilmember Yamamoto asked what documents would be protected. Mr. Nixon answered it would depend on the nature of the document; Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 10 Packet Page 55 of 150 a memo from the attorney regarding a case and strategies would be exempt from disclosure. Other documents may not be exempt. For example in the case of real estate, there is an exemption in the PRA for an appraisal but there is no exemption for other types of information such as a staff analysis of the property, how a facility would fit on the property, etc., unless it was protected by the generic deliberative process exemption. Simply collecting documents distributed in executive session and shredding them is not enough; the original is still on someone's computer and required to be retained under the records retention schedule. If a member of the public requested it, the City Attorney would need to determine how to prevent its disclosure. Councilmember Yamamoto summarized his understanding was that every document and handout provided at executive session should be processed accordingly. Mr. Nixon answered similar to any document handled by the Council in its official role it is considered a public record and unless a specific exemption applies, someone could request it. Councilmember Yamamoto asked Mr. Doherty's opinion. Mr. Doherty agreed with Mr. Nixon's statement; just because something is looked at in executive session does not create an automatic exemption for it. Councilmember Yamamoto asked whether comparisons provided by staff in executive session regarding labor negotiations would be subject to a public records request. Mr. Nixon answered he was not aware of any exemption for that. Mr. Doherty referred to a case, ACLU v. Seattle, where strategy papers reviewed in executive session were not exempt under the PRA. Councilmember Yamamoto asked whether the attorney should check everything that staff provided prior to an executive session. City Attorney Jeff Taraday pointed out it was not sufficient for him to check something; it would need to be advice from him in order to be attorney -client privilege exempt. It was not enough for a director to have the City Attorney review it for it to become attorney -client privilege exempt. Mr. Nixon agreed having the City Attorney in the room does not make a conversation attorney -client privilege nor does the City Attorney reading a document make it attorney -client privilege. Mr. Nixon suggested the Council could ask the City Attorney whether a document would be exempt from disclosure. Councilmember Bloom recalled Mr. Nixon said the Council could choose to record some executive sessions. If the Council made a decision to record all executive sessions regarding attorney -client privilege, would they be exempt from disclosure under the PRA? Mr. Nixon answered yes, as long as the executive session followed the guidelines in the OPMA. Councilmember Bloom asked whether those recordings would be exempt forever from public disclosure? Mr. Nixon answered according to a Supreme Court decision, there is no timeout on attorney -client communication, particularly related to litigation. Even though one lawsuit completes, there is nothing to stop someone else from suing on a similar topic; therefore, privileged information should not be released and benefit the next person filing a lawsuit. Councilmember Bloom asked for clarification whether notes taken by the City Clerk or any record kept of executive sessions related to attorney -client privilege would be subject to public disclosure. Mr. Nixon answered the portion of the notes related to questions asked of the attorney and the attorney's responses could be redacted. Anything else would be disclosable. Councilmember Bloom asked who made the decision regarding what was exempt and what was not if a public records request was submitted. Mr. Nixon answered the Public Records Officer; if he/she had any questions, he/she would seek direction from the City Attorney. Ultimately the State Supreme Court decides what is exempt or not exempt. Even if staff makes a decision they believe is correct with regard to disclosure, someone could still sue the City. Councilmember Bloom commented Edmonds is in the unique position of having taken summary minutes of executive sessions for several years in accordance with direction provided by resolution. She commented it would be difficult to go backward when that practice was started for a legitimate reason. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 11 Packet Page 56 of 150 There was also discussion at a Council meeting that certain executive session meetings could be disclosed when the issue was resolved. She questioned how the City should proceed when it was "already more advanced in some ways in terms of open government than other cities are." Mr. Nixon answered according to the law, if someone made a public records request for them, the non-exempt portions would need to be disclosed. If they meet the legal definition of minutes, they must be retained forever. If they are only notes, their retention is determined by the records retention schedule. Councilmember Johnson referred to the question she asked previously, should the City maintain a paper record; if the answer is yes, it is important to know the retention schedule. Although the ordinance refers to them as minutes, the City Attorney has advised they do not meet the legal definition of minutes because they are not voted upon and are actually notes kept by the City Clerk. Given the current laws, she asked for Mr. Nixon's recommendation whether a paper record should be kept. Mr. Nixon clarified under the PRA, all types of records are the same, whether paper, electronic or an audio recording, the content of the record is what is important. It is easier to redact paper records. With regard to a recommendation, he has not loudly demanded that Kirkland start recording executive sessions because he recognizes the value of their being exempt. He has encouraged Kirkland to urge AWC not to oppose legislation regarding executive sessions. Councilmember Johnson relayed her understanding that it made a difference who took the notes. She asked if an audio recording or notes taken by the City Attorney would be exempt. Mr. Nixon answered it would depend whether it was an attorney -client privileged discussion. The City Attorney's record of questions asked and responses he gave would be exempt as an attorney -client work product. If the City Attorney was simply being used as a clerk to take notes about something other than an attorney -client privilege discussion, the fact that he was the City Attorney would make no difference with regard to whether the notes were disclosable. Councilmember Johnson relayed her understanding that there was no exemption for audio recordings other than regarding an assessed valuation of a real estate transaction and would need to be made available upon a public records request. Mr. Nixon answered audio recordings are included in the definition of public records. Whether a recording was disclosable would depend on the content of the recording; portions of the recording for which there is an exemption could be redacted, the rest of the recording would have to be disclosed. With regard to minutes versus notes, Council President Peterson asked if there could be such a thing as executive session minutes when the Council did not vote on the minutes in executive session or in public session. And if they are just cursory notes that are not reviewed by the Council, who outside the City Clerk has the ability to verify their authenticity/accuracy if they become a public record upon a public rennrrlc rP.nnect Mr Nixon ancwP.reri that is why the Pnrt of Reatfie is rP.cnrrlinv their executive cessions_ He asked if the executive session minutes/notes the City currently maintains are distributed to Council following executive session. Council President Peterson answered they are not. Mr. Nixon agreed the Council was very dependent upon the accuracy of the person taking notes during executive session. If there were a dispute in the future regarding an executive session, he envisioned a judge and jury would ultimately make a decision regarding the accuracy of the record. Council President Peterson summarized the Council was in a very nebulous situation with any kind of recording device, whether pen or audio recording. Mr. Nixon clarified he is not an attorney and urged the Council not to act on anything he said without first checking with the City Attorney. Councilmember Petso asked how confident Mr. Nixon was in his statement that a Councilmember's personal notes made in executive session were not a public record. Mr. Nixon answered that was established in the case Jacobellis v. Bellingham which is summarized on the MRSC website. As long as a Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 12 Packet Page 57 of 150 Councilmember does not share their notes with others, it is a personal record and not a City record. Councilmember Petso asked whether that applied to notes typed into her city -provided iPad. Mr. Nixon answered yes; he sends emails to himself and was told by Kirkland's City Attorney that emails he sends to Himself as personal notes and not shared with anyone else were exempt from disclosure. If the emails are forwarded to someone else, they become a public record. Mr. Taraday stated he was unsure about that interpretation. Council President Peterson asked for Council direction regarding recording executive sessions. Councilmember Fraley-Monillas preferred to wait to see what action the legislature took. COUNCILMEMBER BUCKSHNIS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER YAMAMOTO, TO RESCIND RESOLUTION 853 BECAUSE MINUTES ARE IN FACT NOT BEING TAKEN. Councilmember Petso pointed out this was listed on the agenda as a discussion item. She preferred to rescind the resolution at a future meeting when the item is on the agenda for action. Councilmember Bloom agreed with Councilmember Petso. She suggested holding a public hearing. Councilmember Petso suggested the Council consider keeping a record of attorney -client privileged discussions as they would be exempt under the PRA. COUNCILMEMBER BUCKSHNIS WITHDREW HER MOTION WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE SECOND. Council President Peterson asked whether this issue should go back through the committee process. Councilmember Bloom commented it would be prudent to have it discussed at committee as Councilmember Johnson was not on the Committee at that time and new information has been provided that warrants further discussion. Council President Peterson explained the purpose of committee discussion was so staff could update the committee. There is no City staff person in that role for this item. He did not want it to be a discussion between two Councilmembers and members of the public that excluded the other five Councilmembers. He preferred any further discussion occur at a regular Council meeting. Councilmember Fraley-Monillas commented discussions at committee should only be with the two Councilmembers on the committee; the public is not included in discussion other than by providing input during public comment. Councilmember Bloom asked whether the City Attorney can participate at the committee level. The discussion at committee could include attorney -client privilege, recording, which executive sessions could be recorded, etc. Mr. Taraday responded he is happy to attend a committee meeting if there is meaningful discussion he needs to participate in. His advice on this matter is straight -forward and remains the same. The vast majority of executive sessions are attorney -client privileged. Any recording of executive sessions regarding potential litigation is in all likelihood protected under the PRA and it is up to the City Council to decide whether to record those. With regard to other types of executive sessions, they should not be recorded because there is no clear exemption from disclosure. He summarized it is an administrative, logistical question; whether the City wants to deal with the hassle of turning on and off a recording device or having the City Clerk enter and leave the room for the portion of the executive session the Council wants a written record maintained. He was unsure he needed to attend the committee Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 13 Packet Page 58 of 150 meeting to have that discussion. The presentations by Mr. Doherty and Mr. Nixon were excellent; he would broaden what Mr. Nixon said would be included under the potential litigation exemption. Councilmember Yamamoto commented this was a work session and presentations were made by two parties. He was unclear what sending it to committee would accomplish. He preferred the full Council participate in any further discussions. For Council President Peterson, Councilmember Johnson said she was present when the committee last discussed this matter. Council President Peterson asked whether Councilmember Johnson preferred to have it discussed at committee. Councilmember Johnson suggested the committee could discuss it at the September 11 meeting and it could be scheduled for full Council discussion on September 18. She was uncertain Councilmember Bloom and she were of like minds but they could narrow the issues to facilitate Council discussion. Council President Peterson concluded since both committee members asked for this issue to be scheduled, he will schedule it on the September 11 Committee agenda. He echoed Councilmember Fraley-Monillas' comments that committee meetings are not open discussions with the public. He will discuss with Mr. Taraday whether his presence at the committee meeting is necessary. Councilmember Johnson requested staff determine the records retention for notes. REPORT ON OUTSIDE COMMITTEEBOARD MEETINGS Court ' ember Yamamoto reported SnoCom is working to resolve issues with the New World system. The Port Edmonds is in the process of presenting the Harbor Square Master Plan to the Planning Board. The ' ns Technology Advisory Committee (CTAC) did not meet this month. Councilmember Fra-Monillas reported the Snohomish County Health District Program Policy Committee discussed%limi the water and agreed to send the matter to the full Board with a recommendation not the current policy regarding fluoride in water. The Committee has requested that testimonto recent data and not old data from the 1950s and 1960s. Councilmember Buckshnis reported 8 is having a Cedar River Watershed event. She reported Governor Gregoire gave each Snohomis County Tomorrow (SCT) member a merit award for intergovernmental collaboration in the prepar 'on of the Countywide Planning Policies. SCT is also discussing dispute resolution for municipal urban wth areas (MUGA). Council President Peterson reported the Council will provided an update on the Regional Fire Authority (RFA) discussion at the September 18 meeting. WyQr Earling, Councilmember Petso and he participate on the planning committee as well as individual subcanXittees. Mayor Earling requested Council President Peterson and Councilmembe etso meet with him after the meeting regarding the RFA. Councilmember Bloom reported staff provided updates to the Economic Deve ent Commission regarding Highway 99, the Harbor Square Master Plan, Main Street project, etc. Evan ' rce and Bruce Witenberg were elected co-chairs. Councilmember Johnson reported there will be a formal dedication of the Allen House on the Register of Historic Places on August 29 at 3:00 p.m. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes August 28, 2012 Page 14 Packet Page 59 of 150 Kids on the streets: Fighting homelessness an uphill battle - By Brian Soergel - Edmonds,,,, Page 1 of 4 EDMONDS BEACON Kids on the streets: Fighting homelessness an uphill battle R), BriFan Soergel J Fein 17. 2016 Pnoo, hp Bran A Lonno htl ti;'ef-l7A' 1111: P>S 11 look o ��/unnie.' .9 1il;lil47C'gmn 0:!iw1c Fir CStaajoi7 iJ[ mmii! Deli iR f.0t!11 Check, 5hc holm"Ic55 LcPli es part of Cocoon J•fousc's'"Iahe �'.'lns�r i,,00li" in!ilal.iF'e How do you imagine homeless teens' Drug -addled kids gathering in parks, on street corners, blowing into their hands to keep warm, with no jobs; no prospects, no schooling and seeming not a care about the future? There's that. But there's another side to teen homelessness in Snohomish County. For many, finding themselves on the streets is the result of one thing: unstable homes. "It's not just not literal homelessness a lot of times," said Nicolas Quijano of Cocoon House, which offers the only licensed homes in the county for unaccompanied teens ages 12-17. :'It's just familial problems, erratic parenting or conflict relating to child's behavior, sexual orientation, legal issues, drug problems, school problems." Quijano recalls meeting one teen girl who came for help. She argued with her mother; and her father was out: of the picture most of the time. She needed to get a job and, since she was graduating from high school this year, wanted to apply to college. But her home situation sapped tier energy. So she split. http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/p/kids-on-the-streets-fighting-homelessness-an-uph... 2/23 /2016 Packet Page 60 of 150 Kids on the streets: Fighting homelessness an uphill battle - By Brian Soergel - Edmonds,... Page 2 of 4 "When you don't know where you're going to live, it's hard to think about the next day," Quijano said, "When you don't know where you're going to sleep at night, how can you think about what else you're going to do?" Quijano placed her in one of Cocoon House's shelters in Everett, and trained counselors soon saw results. They started conversations between mother and daughter, who are now back to living togeth er. She'll graduate this year, and Cocoon House paid for her SAT test and helped with college applications. She spoke at her school's Martin Luther King Day assembly and now wants to work in social advocacy. "Just having that adult who was willing to listen to her and support her and that fall -back as far as having a place of stability has given her the confidence to branch out and achieve a little bit and feel that she has the ability to realize her potential," Quijano said. Numbers are spiking Cocoon House does what it can — and has many success stories like that one — but is fighting an uphill battle as the number of homeless teens continues its troubling rise. In addition to youth who are actually living on the streets, local schools also count those as homeless students who are "doubled up," meaning that they don't have a home of their own and are sharing housing with someone else because they can't afford any other option. "Typically, this means a family of multiple members living in one room of someone else's apartment," said Cynthia Jones, director of the homeless education program for Everett Public Schools. Numbers released earlier this month by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction show that in 2014-15, 35,511 Washington students — 3.3 percent of the state's public K-12 population —were counted as homeless. The number is a 9.1 percent increase from 2013-14 and a staggering 63 percent increase from 2009-10. All districts are required to have a homeless liaison to identify, enroll and set up services for homeless students who, as you might expect, tend to do worse in school. The four-year graduation rate for homeless students in the class of 2015 was 51.9 percent; for all students, it was 78.1 percent. Everett Public Schools, which includes those in Mill Creek, reported 977 homeless students, while the Edmonds School District reported 600 and the Mukilteo School District 227. What's happening? "There are a number of factors that contribute to the increase," Jones said. "Even though employment has increased, salaries have not. Housing costs have gone up as the economy has improved, leaving more families unable to afford adequate housing. And there is not sufficient low- income housing to meet the demand." Specific reasons for the increase are difficult to determine at the state level, said Randy Dorn, superintendent of public instruction. Although family instability is certainly a factor, many community factors — lack of affordable housing options, unemployment or underemployment, available local services — may contribute. In addition, economic recessions typically hit the poorest people for the longest time. "These kids sleep in campgrounds or under highways or on friends' sofas," Dorn said. "And that can lead to them repeating grades or dropping out of school. We must make sure that school can be a stable influence in their lives and that they don't fall behind." http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup. com/p/kids-on-the-streets-fighting-homelessness-an-uph... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 61 of 150 Kids on the streets: Fighting homelessness an uphill battle - By Brian Soergel - Edmonds,... Page 3 of 4 The 1987 federal McKinney-Vento Act ensures that homeless children have access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths. It provides support for homeless children and youth to continue their education without interruption or barriers. Homeless families or those in temporary living situations due to economic circumstances have certain rights or protections under federal law. McKinney-Vento defines a student as homeless if he or she lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The law requires that homeless students cannot be separated from other students. Where feasible, the student can remain in the district he or she was in before becoming homeless, and is provided transportation to and from school. At Jackson High School in Mill Creek, teacher Bill Trueit said the district is spending about $1 million on transporting students who were classified as being homeless. "Studies show that students who are homeless do better if their school home can remain stable," he said. "Whenever the topic is brought up, we are told that the numbers of homeless students is going up. And due to privacy laws, teachers don't always know who is homeless." Last year, Everett Public Schools served 987 homeless students at some time during the school year. Jones, of Everett Public Schools — which has more than 19,000 students — said the district's own numbers reported 646 students actively enrolled who qualified under McKinney-Vento as of Jan. 6. The cumulative number of homeless students enrolled at some time during the current school year was 802 as of Jan. 6. "This is a population that is very transient, as you might expect," Jones said. "This is about 100 more students than we had at the same time last year. We have seen a steady increase over the last few years. We are continuing to run about 100 students higher compared to the same month the previous year, as we did in September. We will definitely surpass 1,000 this year." The Mukilteo School District, which serves about 14,000 students, registered 203 students for McKinney-Vento services at the end of January, said Beth Vanderveen, the district's student services director. That's up from 165 at the same time last year. Vanderveen identified two reasons for the increase — the New Year's Eve apartment complex fire on West Casino Road over winter break that forced several families into homelessness, and the fact that the district is getting better at identifying homeless students. Sarah Pederson, student support advocate at the district's Mariner High School, said her school has about 30 homeless students. The Edmonds School District, with more than 20,000 students, has 68 homeless students in middle school and 128 in high school as of Feb. 8, according to district spokeswoman Debbie Joyce Jakala. But those numbers are deceptive. There are actually 469 "students in transition," Jakala said. Local school districts say that the McKinney-Vento Act does not provide enough financial support. "There is little to no funding for McKinney-Vento," Vanderveen said. Washington state receives about $950,000 in funding each year from the U.S. Department of Education to support the education of homeless students in school programs. That money is given to districts in the form of competitive grants, with money funneled to districts with the greatest need. http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup. com/Plkids-on-the-streets-fighting-homelessness-an-uph... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 62 of 150 Kids on the streets: Fighting homelessness an uphill battle - By Brian Soergel - Edmonds,... Page 4 of 4 "The issue with funding is that we are required by federal law to provide transportation so that our homeless students can get to school, as well as support them in other ways so that they can participate in school," Jones said. "The federal government does not provide any additional funding for this purpose, and so we wind up using funds that could otherwise support more students." Dorn said that McKinney-Vento money can be used for a variety of activities for homeless students, including helping to defray the excess cost of transportation; tutoring, instruction and enriched educational services; supplies and materials; and early childhood education programs. Districts that do not receive McKinney-Vento grant funding can use Title I or other state or federal funding sources to support the educational needs of homeless students, he added. In addition, the state Legislature is considering several bills to reduce homelessness in Washington, including HB 1682, which passed Feb. 10 by a vote of 68-28. "There are now over 35,000 students in Washington that do not have a secure place to sleep at night," said Rep. Jake Fey (D-Tacoma), the bill's sponsor. "This bill provides additional resources and grants to districts so they can better identify and serve homeless students. Every child in Washington deserves a place to stay at night and an opportunity to succeed in school." No matter how much money is thrown at the homeless situation, the problem will no doubt remain. There are just so many reasons why teens are homeless, said Julio Cortes, spokesman for Cocoon House. But it comes down to one thing — it all starts in the home. "A lot of it is just family dynamics," he said. "Issues in the home boil up to the level where parents kick out the youth, or the youth runs away." http: //edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/plkids-on-the-streets-fighting-homelessness-an-uph... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 63 of 150 Deputies break down barriers for county's homeless - By Laura Daniali - Edmonds, WA -... Page 1 of 3 EDMONDS BEACON Deputies break down barriers for county's homeless 13y Laura Dan iali I Feb 11, 2016 3 9 Plrnr,�hi /�nrra l)numh Sut. Ian Iluri cfthe Snohomish CouiiLy Sheriffs Deparnnent lee volun!ei:rs thronail encampinents in south Snohomish County, on Jan. 2i1 as pail of the national Point -in= i inie count to SLIIvey sheltered and unsheltered homeless The above encampment is located near AIdcrwood Mal I View More... A path lined with a makeshift walkway of tires, drenched mattresses and soggy cardboard in ankle-deep water is the only way into a local encampment, With recent images of encampments in the media, this might not be shocking to you. But what might be is the reaction local sheriff's deputies receive when they enter a camp. When Sgt. Ian Huri walked up to a tarp -covered tent or. Ian. 28 in an encampment along Alder -wood Mall Parkway, he called out with a friendly, "'Hello.'' After a few minutes, Ryan and Stephanie, a couple in their 30s who has lived there for a year, stepped out and greeted Huri. They looked genuinely happy to see him, "Most of the people in the encampments we'll visit today we've worked with for a few months, and so people know us," Huri said, "and we're at some stage of engagement. http: //edmondsbeacon.villagesoup. com/p/deputies-break-down-barriers-for-county-s-home... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 64 of 150 Deputies break down barriers for county's homeless - By Laura Daniali - Edmonds, WA -... Page 2 of 3 "Continuous repeated engagement, showing up every day or two and talking to them about what's going on and what their situation is, knowing their story and in some instances not running their name initially because they're worried about warrants." Engaging with the homeless population is part of the mission of a new Snohomish County Sheriffs Office unit — the Office of Neighborhoods. The unit was created with an overall goal to make neighborhoods safer and is working to identify, locate and connect with the homeless and vulnerable populations in Snohomish County to break the cycle of homelessness, mental illness and/or chemical dependency. Huri leads a team of two deputies, Adam Malaby and Bud McCurry, and Law Enforcement Embedded Social Worker Jesse Calliham. Throughout the day, Snohomish County Sheriffs deputies led a group of volunteers and Fire District 1 personnel into encampments along Alderwood Mall Parkway, Airport Road in south Everett and areas of Lynnwood to collect surveys for the national Point -in -Time count, an annual count taking place in January to survey sheltered and unsheltered homeless. Huri is working with Ryan, Stephanie and many others to connect them with detox and treatment services, and eventually stable housing. Both are battling heroin addiction along with many others in encampments, and Malaby said the majority of people in the camps are dealing with substance abuse, mostly methamphetamine and heroin, and mental illness. "Probably the biggest common denominator for us is chemical dependency and usually heroin in our homeless camps," Huri said. Huri pointed to a red plastic container chained to a tree with a large sign that read, "Please drop dirty/used needles here." He brought the container to the camp a few months ago. "If you told me years ago I'd be dropping off sharps containers at encampments, I'd say you're crazy," Huri said, but it's about harm reduction and getting people access to the services they need. Some, like Ryan and Stephanie, have to start with the basics, like getting personal identification and health insurance from the state Department of Social and Health Services. Huri and his team make every effort to make it happen — from scheduling appointments to giving them rides. "We essentially become their parents, really," Malaby said. "We make appointments for them. We take them anywhere they need to go to receive services, and we do the best we can to keep them under our thumb. "We try and remove all the barriers that they have as an individual to getting those services." Calliham, the unit's social worker, is out in the field with the unit making most calls for services from camps or a patrol car. Malaby said the most frustrating part for the unit is the lack of services available in Snohomish County. "There are a couple of places where people can detox, but they're in Everett, so how does a homeless man or woman living in a tent by Alderwood Mall, how do they get to north .Everett to treatment," Malaby said, "whether it's inpatient or outpatient or to a clinic to get some suboxone or to a treatment meeting three or four times a week. How do they do that? They live in a tent. They don't have a bus pass or a car." Also, most local detox and treatment facilities do not accept Medicaid health insurance, so the deputies have reached out to agencies across the state for assistance. http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/p/deputies-break-down-barriers-for-county-s-home... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 65 of 150 Deputies break down barriers for county's homeless - By Laura Daniali - Edmonds, WA -... Page 3 of 3 When help is offered, the deputies provide rides — sometimes across the state — to those in need. Huri said encampments pop up in ravines and wooded areas that are publicly and privately owned, and the occupants are breaking the law by trespassing. In the case of privately -owned lands, deputies reach out to the property owners to work collaboratively to help people in the camps and clear the property. In most cases, the owners are willing to give the deputies time to work with the occupants for a positive outcome — getting them into detox, treatment or stable housing. However, Huri said law enforcement is not forgotten. "We can't compel anyone to go to any service," Huri said. "They really have to engage and want to do it with us, but if we can let them know that they are breaking the law, we are going to document it, and ultimately, if you're still here and don't want to engage in any services, our only recourse would be to file charges and arrest them for trespassing." The unit is making every effort to avoid this outcome. As the deputies leave an encampment, Neil, who's in his early 30s and stays a few nights occasionally, said, "What you guys are doing is awesome." Huri said one of the most rewarding parts of his job is hearing a "Thank you," because it carries so much weight. While the deputies don't yet know the impact they are having statistically, Huir said he knows they are making a difference. http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/p/deputies-break-down-barriers-for-county-s-home... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 66 of 150 HeraldNet: Print Article Page 1 of 2 Herold V t Everett, Washington NEWSOI Published: Tuesday, February 2, 2016, 12:01 a.m. Sharp increase in number of Snohomish County homeless Kevin Clark / The Herald Volunteer Irene Slagle looks for homeless people during the annual Point in Time Count last Thursday in Everett. By Noah Haglund Herald Writer NWHa lurid EVERETT — An annual survey of homeless people in Snohomish County suggests a surge in families without shelter, a problem many advocates close to the streets have long suspected. The Poi»t in Time count found a 50 percent increase in some homeless populations. Thursday's one-day_taliy_ turned up 481 local people without shelter. That compares to 312 counted a year ago. The 54 percent increase was mostly tied to households without children. The number of unsheltered families with children, however, more than doubled to 35 from 16 last year. The homelessness problem is hardly confined to Snohomish County. Gov. Jay Inslee sees larger economic forces at work pushing up the numbers throughout the state. http://vvww.heraldnet.comlappslpbcs.dll/article?AID=/201602021NEWS0111602098"i tMF 62P1992016 HeraldNet: Print Article Page 2 of 2 The governor traveled to Everett Monday to talk about combatting homelessness as part of a roundtable discussion with local leaders. "A lot of the new homeless are economically homeless, I'm convinced, because the wages aren't keeping up with rents," Inslee said afterward. "It's not some sudden onslaught of mental health problems," he said. At the same time, Inslee acknowledged the state has had well -publicized difficulties in keeping up with demands on the mental health system. He sees promise in the Housing First initiative pioneered in Utah and underway now in Everett. That approach seeks to find low -barrier housing before treating a person's problems with mental health or drug abuse. Results from this year's Point in Time count were released Monday by Snohomish County's Human Services Department. That coincided with the roundtable discussion and a public forum that evening at Historic Everett Theatre. Elected leaders in Everett and county government have described the homelessness problems as epidemic. They've been committing political capital and tax dollars. Both Everett police and the Sheriffs Office recently started embedding social workers with their officers. Everett Mayor Ray Ste hanson recently promised to line up permanent housing in the near future for five chronically homeless people, with another 15 to follow by the end of June. The city is starting a capital campaign to fund the construction of a dedicated facility for 60 homeless people. Volunteers conducted Thursday's annual homeless survey during heavy rains, searching in shelters and parking lots, alleys and streets. They asked about the circumstances that left people without a permanent home. They asked about domestic violence, job loss, drug use, military service and more. The count spanned 12 hours at sites in Everett, Lynnwood, Arlington and east Snohomish County. Organizers worried that weather may have made it harder to find people. Even so, preliminary numbers released by the county showed some dramatic increases. County Executive Dave Somers stressed the need to form partnerships across political boundaries and to use approaches that have worked elsewhere. "We must target resources effectively and ensure that any dollar spent is actually solving a problem," Somers said in prepared remarks. "If it were just a question of enough money, then the problem would have gotten better in the last 30 years. But it hasn't." Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nligglund e heraldnetsum. Twitter: cr.NWTaaglura_d__. © 2016 The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA http://www.heraldnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20160202/NEWSOI/160209MIW4Rg 61L�J"016 • (00ml ■l m m ision TION OF WASHINGTON CITIES MAGAZINE HOMELESSNESS WITH HOUSING AND SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF WASHEHGTOH C E I f I _ rrr.rs: awcnet.dr9 •Y'; —. yra _.ir ; «i-{ r--,:a.�r 'Y •'.y-i"i:S+ S. � Y.`j� � 4. i�`•-^=r- _ ••f..V '11.1. '..'L a' .. {� Ouriob is making sure that waste no longer goes to waste. Find out more at ThinkGreen.com Energy creation. Recycling programs. Closed -loop solutions. Those arejust a few of the innovations we're delivering for customers and communities alike. We live in a world where things can no longer go to waste. That's why Waste Management is working to ensure that we get the most from our existing resources. It's good for our community and the environment. wmnorthwest.com 1425.814.7844 vip"_ WASTE MANAGEMENT THINK GREEN® © Waste Management 2016 Packet Page 70 of 150 c CITYVISION MAGAZINE VOL.8 NO.1 President Marilynne Beard Paul Roberts Deputy City Manager, Councilmember, Everett Kirkland Vice President WCMA Past President James Restucci Mayor, Sunnyside Jim Berger Mayor, Carnation Secretary Pat Johnson Don Britain Mayor, Buckley Mayor Pro Tem, Kennewick Immediate Past President Craig George Mayor, Dayton Past President Don Gerend Mayor, Sammamish Large City Representative Sally Bagshaw Councilmember, Seattle Suzette Cooke Mayor, Kent Sean Guard Mayor, Washougal Will Hall Councilmember, Shoreline Micki Harnois Councilmember, Rockford Chief Executive Officer Sue Ing-Moody Peter King Mayor, Twisp Kent Keel Editor Mayor Pro Tem, Michelle Harvey University Place Published in Dorothy Knauss Mayor, Chewelah conjunction with SagaCity Media Inc. KC Kuykendall Councilmember, Waitsburg Founder &President Nicole Vogel Bob Larson City Administrator, SVP, Editorial & Operations Snopualmie Bill Hutfllz WCMA President VP, Custom Publishing Mario Martinez Jeff Adams Mayor, Mabton Advertising Sales Ryan Mello Carol Cummins Deputy Mayor, Tacoma Advertising Sales Beth Munns Coordinator Councilmember Danielle Williams Oak Harbor Art Director Jon Nehring Nate Bullis Mayor, Marysville Contributing Artists Mike O'Brien Daniel Berman Councilmember Seattle Copy Editor Ed Stern Margaret Seiler Councilmember, Poulsbo Production Coordinator Keegan O'Connor Association of Washington Cities Inc. 1076 Franklin St. SE Olympia, WA 98501 360-753-4137 ON ASSOCIATION A CIA 800-562-8981 N C E o g53-0149 i � � J awc e6 This issue of Cityvision will explore the issue of homelessness. Homelessness is a wickedly complex problem. There is no one cause, and no one face, of homelessness. Cities across Washington State are experiencing an explosion of homeless- ness and human service issues and are struggling to find answers. At its core, homelessness is an economic condition that prevents individuals or families from being able to afford shelter. The causes vary, and the laws of marginal economics apply. A myriad of social issues contribute to homelessness and streets issues, including mental health struggles, substance abuse, health care CITIES ACROSS challenges, veterans' issues, and youth THE STATE ARE homelessness. Many of these overlap. Cities did not create the homeless- STRUGGLING ness crisis. But city streets and neigh- TO FIND borhoods are where homelessness is most visible, with significant impacts ANSWERS. on city services and budgets. We are the first responders and the last resort for many of these individuals. In response to this complex crisis, cities across the state are providing coordinated services, housing, and funding. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has declared a state of emergency, spending considerable funds and coordinating services. In 2014, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson led a "Streets Initiative," bringing together city and county government and human service providers to address homelessness issues. Bellingham, Spokane, Tacoma, and other municipalities are engaged in similar exer- cises, and these issues are not limited to large cities. Your AWC has added "Human Services, Homelessness and Affordable Housing" as a top priority for our legislative agenda. In recent meetings with Governor Inslee and legislative leaders, AWC asked for assistance for housing, mental health, and substance abuse funding and improved program coordination. The response has been positive. In December 2015, AWC held a statewide forum in Shoreline to discuss these issues with more than 70 attendees from cities large and small. AWC will continue efforts to advocate for Washington's cities as they seek strategies and solutions to this growing crisis. Sincerely, Paul Roberts, Councilmember, Everett JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 I CITYVISION MAGAZINE Packet Page 71 of 150 I Contents Welcome note CityBeat Tackling homelessness entails trans formation: from a frontier fort to a modern VA facility, from tents to per- manent housing, from hidden to found. And in our popular NOTED feature, we peek behind the doors of the Housing Trust Fund. ct n FEATURE The Last Shall Be First By upending the inherited sequence for addressing homelessness and other social ills, Everett becomes the latest Washington community to start sheltering its citizens now. By TedKataaskas CityWise Expert perspectives on starting small with housing options, providing services for homeless schoolchildren, and mitigating punishment by being aware of what we make a crime. Cityscape ?_8 The streets are for celebrating, not for sleeping. 4 2 I CITYVISION MAGAZINE I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIEL BERMAN Packet Page 72 of 1 our job is making sure that waste no longer goes to waste. Learn more at wm.com/partner Energy creation. Recycling programs. Closed -loop solutions. What are your municipality's sustainability goals and how will you reach them? When you choose Waste Management as your partner, you're one step closer to realizing those goals Partnership begins with a discussion — may we suggest a conversation with us as a first step? Mary Evans, Director -Public Sector Solutions 425 814 7844 WA�NAGEMENTC THINK GREEN: 02012 Waste Management, Inc Our services include: • Land use and strategic planning • Brownfield redevelopment to revitalize _ communities • Innovative stormwater management ■ GI5 supporting decision making and' asset management www.mauIfoster.com Packet Page 73 of 150 AT HOME WITH SUCCESS. AT HOME WITH AFFORDABLE INTERNET. If you have children at home receiving free or eeduced price lunches through the Natlonal School Lunch Program, your family may qualify for Internet Essentials from Comcast. This program was created to help families get affordable tnternet at home, so more children and more tafnllies have the opportunity to succeed - in school and Irk life. Find out if you're eligible today: visit Internet Essential s.com or call 1-855-8-INTERNET i ren ueso p�xinn�er+u [amxr r'.i nrw. w w i..a+a+ enk>e,�nersp� �W r�p.4 Ay.rr�p lry �gs4�lr�i. eNn kkbC � my i_ 1 w MI i'•%� AT1r lay a.-�� A � WYwn G�MeS10 [�wkY¢ .k Kd/ irc�eclo�wmrifwi►6k �eryq WnY.+1 w.1xr•r G1jSj i16d3.34.Nksknw id nx'akn4 +�' �k]� Ml YakifaxV'�rpe COMCAST 41f NBCUNIVERSAL Utility Service Group is the largest tank service firm in the United States. We created the Full Service Asset Maintenance Program over 20 years ago to provide tank owners with comprehensive sustainable solutions to manage storage tank assets. PLEASE CONTACT OUR ■ (855) 526-4413 GroupService CUSTOMER SERVICE ■ heIp @utilityservice.com Utility Service Group is now Suez lh'G er # S�,- t Is. 1230 Peachtree St. NE I STE 1100 1 Promenade I Atlanta, GA 30309 1 www.utiLityservice.com Packet Page 74 of 150 The rebirth of Walla Walla's VA facilities. IN 1910, NEARLY A CENTURY AFTER the Northwest Fur Company established a military outpost on a promontory in present-day Walla Walla, the U.S. govern- ment decommissioned its fortress and repurposed the site as a medical facil- ity dedicated to the care of the region's veterans. But in February 2004, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs dropped a bombshell on the city, when it signaled its intent to close the Jonathan M. Wain- wright Memorial Veterans Affairs Medi- cal Center, which employed hundreds. "That's a big deal for a city the size of Walla Walla," says deputy city manager Tim McCarty, then the city's support ser- vices director. But for McCarty and some 52,700 other veterans in southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and western Idaho, much more was at stake than the idling of a local economic engine. "Abraham Lincoln said it well when he talked about veterans and widows and families who needed to be cared for after the Civil War for what they had given up," adds McCarty, who served a three-year tour in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam continued on page 10 -+ INSIDE: NOTED A peek behind the Housing Trust Fund THE QUESTION How are you working with homelessness? CALENDAR -The AWC Mayors Exchange and more JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE 1 5 Packet Page 75 of 150 y 14-1.1101=Fi1 Pooling Resources Arlington offers one -stop help for the city's most vulnerable. AS IN MANY STATES, WASHINGTON'S homeless population is growing —a fact at times all too obvious on city streets. But what about the homeless who aren't on the street, the "hidden" homeless, such as single parents who live in shelters while working to keep their families together? How do cities help these people, who could benefit greatly from state resources but might not know what resources are available to them? For Arlington, and the city's mayor, Barbara Tolbert, it's a question of how to pull together resources. Tolbert's first "aha!" moment in this regard came dur- ing a community forum in spring 2012. Over 100 Arlington residents spoke about the services their organizations offered and whom they were helping. As Tolbert sat in the back row listening, she couldn't help wondering, "What would happen if they all worked togeth- er and didn't overlap services?" So she got to work. Tolbert formed a committee with the county DHS director and quickly learned that they had a long way to go to better serve Arlington's hidden homeless. In order to provide access to the city's currently available resources, they conceived a Family Resource Center, to be funded by grants and donations, that would coordinate services from housing to food and clothing to jobs. As they were developing the concept, the Oso tragedy struck: a massive mudslide overcame the community, destroying dozens of homes and killing 43. The tragedy created an even bigger need and more urgency for Tolbert and her committee to fulfill their vision — but most important, it crystallized action items. Primarily, it revealed how necessary a central location to distribute resources was. In the wake of the Oso mudslides, community organizations came together to coordinate efforts, unintentionally providing the model for the Arlington Family Resource Center. Tolbert saw small organizations doing wonderful work and noted the challenges that face those in need —if you don't have e-mail or a place to collect your housing voucher in the mail, it's impossible to utilize the resources available. Says Tolbert: "The whole thing has been a journey of learning and raising awareness." Since opening in summer 2015, the Arlington Family Resource Center has offered sophisticated ways to help many in the local community, at little extra cost to taxpayers. In just its first six months, the resource center served over 500 of Arlington's hidden homeless, a greater traffic flow than expected. Especially in the wake of the Oso disaster, the early success offers hope to Tolbert. "I'm a glass -half -full person," she says. "Now that we have information, we should be able to use that to be more useful, more helpful, and to accomplish more." —Rachel Sandstrom C G f CITYVISION MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 For more information: arlingtonwa.gov Packet Page 76 of 150 harneless 6.7% 6 r_7I iL•] 63°r Sources: US ❑epaf Iment of HoLrslnq and U+ban Oovelopment, Homrfoss Point In Time (PIT) Counts: Washington State Office of Suparintendent of Public Instruction SLICE OF LIFE Home Less, Home More Olympia groups rally to transform makeshift shelters into a community. IN 2007, CAMP QUIXOTE was a self- governing tent camp of homeless adults moving from site to site of church -owned land, supported by the local faith community. This roving "tent city" was supported passively for a while by about a dozen church- es, but eventually it became clear to faith leaders like Tim Ransom, the director of the first church that sup- ported the camp, that more needed to be done. So in spring 2008, the nonprofit Panza was formed, with Ransom leading the charge. Panza supported the logistics of creating the camp politically and fi- nancially, finding the next host church and building up a constituency of volunteers to keep Camp Quixote up and running. "A lot of these folks were volunteers who met their home- less neighbors for the first time," says Ransom, "and realized that they were just people less fortunate than them." This support from the secu- lar and faith -based communities of Tumwater, Olympia, and Lacey laid the groundwork (quite literally) for Quixote Village, a permanent cluster of tiny homes provided for the local homeless population—Panza and Thurston County worked together to find a city -owned site in southwest Olympia, which Panza was able to lease from Thurston County at a rate of $1 per year for 40 years. The funding effort for a permanent housing solution for the homeless began in 2012. In June 2013, con- struction began, and Quixote Village opened its doors on Christmas Eve of that year. When asked how a clus- ter of 30 tiny homes could be built so quickly, Ransom explains that it comes down to a few factors. First, the local architects and engineers who designed Quixote Village had volunteer experience with Camp Quixote, so they were willing to come together to work pro bono, or very close to it. Second, Panza hired a development consultant from a nonprofit in Washington called Com- munity Frameworks, which took over the logistics of managing the finances and the construction process of building Quixote Village. Lastly, Panza also hired a local construction group to build. Says Ransom: "Everybody pitched in a little bit." Quixote Village has been open for a little over two years now, provid- ing housing, a kitchen, a living room, showers and bath facilities, and a coin -op laundry to its 30 residents, but the reach extends further. Two full-time staff members are on -site six days a week to coordinate services for residents, including physical and mental health services, substance abuse counseling, and job training. The Village's $230,000 annual opera- tional budget is covered mostly by state and federal funding, but 25 per- cent comes from foundations, grants, and private donors. "Also," says Ransom, "six out of our 30 residents are involved in some kind of higher education, getting their GED, going to community col- lege —and even university, some of them. We're a supportive community with strong peer mentoring." In other words, Quixote Village pro- vides not just housing, but a home. —Rachel Sandstrom C For more information: quixotevillage.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CITYVISION MAGAZINE 1 % Packet Page 77 of 150 IT NOTED �3Lwdye# P cn�drr! f-jt.gl�t s. EXCERPTS FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND THE WASHINGTON STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND, ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, ENSURES SAFE, HEALTHY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SINCE 1987, HTF HAS AWARDED OVER $1 BILLION INVESTED TO MAINTAIN OR BUILD 44,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. \Findings. RCW 43.185.010 The legislature declares that it is in the public interest to establish a continuously renewable resource known as the housing trust fund and housing assistance program to assist low and very low-income citizens in meeting their basic housing needs, and that the needs of very low-income citizens should be given prior- ity and that whenever feasible, assistance should be in torn of loans. Eligible organizations. RCW 43.185.060 (*W4 C'C-P' § / organizations that m3 a assistance from the department uc5ii..s] rJ FPF.fO 30% ` under this chapter are ,__I overnments, local housing af'4ke- #-}-rF u _e4z k authorities, regional support networks established under "ICUfo m'a chapter 71.24 RCW, nonprofit community or neighborhood -based � organizations, federally recognized Indian tribes in the state P'&)e65- of Washington, and regional or statewide nonprofit housing assistance organizations. [...1 [Eligible activities.] RCW 43.185.070 (5) (5)The department must give preference for applications_ based. .. some or all of the criteria under this subsection, na ai9nilax projects and activities shall be evaluated under the same crite- ria: (a) The degree of leveraging of other funds that will occur; (b) The degree of commitment .from programs to provide necessary habilitation and support services for projects focusing on special needs populations; 2.81 urrik$ o,"JCJ (c) Recipient contributions to total project costs, including al- f6- peopQ_ wii- lied contributions from other sources such as professional, craft and trade services, and lender interest rate subsidies; (d) Local government project contributions in the form of infra- structure improvements, and others; _ezjej f&, ptop& (e) Projects that encourage ownership, management, and other proj- w. ti F.fsi9i'#i.C5 ect-related responsibility opportunities; (f) Projects that demonstrate a strong probability of serving the original target group or income level for a period of at least twenty-five years; (9) The applicant has the demonstrated ability, stability and resources to implement the project; ti._-.-r..�_..:... (h) Projects which demonstrate serving the greatest need, (i) Projects that provide housing for persons and families with the lowest incomes; (j) Projects serving special needs populations which are under statutory mandate to develop community housing; (k) Project location and access to employment centers in the re- gion or area; (1) Projects that provide employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged youth under a youthbuild or youthbuild-type pro- gram as defined in RCW 50.72.020; f#ipQ rtiltc l €ps- (m) Project location and access to available public transportation [,oK'"_e55 f �f services; and (n) P ojects involving collaborative partnerskil& between lo- `�r'- cal school districts and either public housing authorities or nonprofit housing providers, that help children of low-income families succeed in school. To receive this preference, the local school district must provide an opportunity for community mem- bers to offer input on the proposed project at the first scheduled school board meeting following submission of the grant applica- tion to the department. s�75M o r c �rra55 � p5'w' , bor tu �p {+aW`o f2tP.9M 44TP c.J s '_U f-- R�a�.Y.,� 1 1 2- t�e•5 ST4 v6 ^. -rkp- a "'5 13z0 f'.•1 �ro•rw a4{,-vrr�- 5a�.v-,-1�.5.� �'e.irF.ile• L�'WE���Ir App.. _ 15 L4"J aor+.� C�owS� L4(^P�wp rw5 pw #riei wii*- Ft2- eKpea^ta+� ' aWeQop ron5�'�'^#• For more information: awcnet.org s I CITYVISION MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Packet Page 78 of 150 How are you working with homelessness? TIM SULLIVAN Progem Manager, Yakima Valley Council of Governments We're inviting local cities and towns to actively engage in countywide activities such as the annual Project Homeless Connect, providing food and housing vouchers, medical and eye screenings, a warm meal, and even a haircut. We have created a Homeless Planning and Policy Council with lo- cal governments, faith communities, homeless housing providers, business- es, and the homeless to develop a new countywide five-year homeless plan. LY April 27, 2016 Wenatchee The Mayors Exchange transforms your community experiences into a rich set of resources for your peers. To make this exchange more meaningful for you. AWC is asking all mayors to help define your conversation topic at the April Exchange. Look for a training survey in your city hall inbox in February, and let us know what's high on your discussion radar. STEVE KING Director of Community & Economic Development, Wenatchee Wenatchee service providers embrace new strategies such as Housing First and rapid rehousing; however, the region suffers from a severe lack of housing units, making these programs impossible to implement. With rental vacancy rates hovering around 2 per- cent in an area already suffering from high housing costs, encouraging devel- opment of new units is a key focus. April 28, 2016 Wenatchee When an emergency strikes, elected officials and city staff don't have time to clarify roles. This workshop focuses on who does what before, during, and after an emergency. City officials who have navigated their communities through an emergency will share what they learned. Discover how to communicate with constituents before and during an emergency, when and how to declare a state of emergency, and what to expect from state and federal emergency response. SUZETTE COOKE Mayor, Kent While Kent invests nearly half of its human services funding in programs addressing homelessness (almost $500,000), we rely on community partners —local businesses, faith -based organizations, service clubs, and non- profits —to provide direct services. For example, our Kent Rotary clubs pur- chased a mobile shower unit that fol- lows our rotating men's shelter housed at a different church each month. TRAININGS ' Retro Safety Academy Federal Way Retro Safety Academy Arlington Retro Safety Academy Federal Way NLC Congressional City Conference Retro Safety Academy Pasco Municipal Clerks Conference Healthy Worksite Summit Lynnwood Retro Safety Academy Pasco For more information: awcnet.org JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CITYVISION MAGAZINE 9 Packet Page 79 of 150 GORDON THOMAS HONEYWELL GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS GTH=GA is a full -service lobbying firm with over two decades of experience representing local governments. Our consultants have successfully passed,legislation and secured funding for local projects at both the state and federal levels. CABUD �j A leader gamong vl �JV v management ,D ASSOCIATES negotiators Labor Negotiations "coming together is COm arables p o beginning, keeping together is progress, Compensation Studies Human Resources and working together is a success" -Henry Ford Cabot Dow, President P.O. Box 1806, Bellevue, WA 98009 206.818.9184 cabotdow@aol.com www.cabotdow.com Ma . Diverse Community Connectors Discovering the World of Diversity Engagement Diverse Community Connectors is a veteran- woman- minority -owned business whose purpose is to help organizations engage diverse communities so they both succeed. JMarie Johnson -Kola, Founder and CEO 425-903-0614 • imarie@diversecommunityconnectors.com diversecommunityconnectors.com CIT° deter ans Affair airy continued from page 5 War. "The original intent to close the facility was at a time of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, when we should have been increasing the size of the facility and the ser- vices, not cutting them back. It was kind of outrageous. For veterans, it was a rallying cry." Perhaps no one cried louder than one of the city's representatives in Washington, D.C.: Sen. Patty Murray, the daughter of a World War II veteran who had earned a Purple Heart, was then chair of the Committee of Vet- erans Affairs. A decade after the closure announcement, she recalled how she let "the President and everyone at every level of the VA know what this facility means to this region —and how wrong it would be to leave veterans without services here in southeast Washington." For its part, the City of Walla Walla's council estab- lished a Walla Walla Veterans Affairs Community Task Force, which lobbied representatives in Olympia and in Washington, D.C., as well as state and federal VA officials, not just to preserve the facility but to earmark millions to augment the services it provided. The first step was enlisting Murray's help in securing a $250,000 grant for a feasibility study for a new outpatient clinic and other medical facilities. The work paid off. At the U.S. Capitol in 2009, Mur- ray introduced and helped pass legislation authorizing $71.4 million in federal funding for the construction of a 67,000-square-foot Walla Walla VA Outpatient Clinic, which was dedicated in April 2014. At the same time, Washington's Legislature earmarked $16.8 million (in- cluding $14.4 million from the 2015 legislative session), matched by a $31 million federal grant, for the construc- tion of the Walla Walla Veterans Home, a long-term care facility for 80 indigent veterans that's under con- struction; residents are expected to move in this July, a month after a 50-bed permanent home for homeless veterans (a partnership between the state VA and Catho- lic Charities) opens at the historic Fort Walla Walla of- ficers' quarters next door. McCarty, who plans to retire in April after 15 years of city service —including eight shepherding the rebirth of Walla Walla's VA —is looking forward to attending the ribbon cutting. "This is like the frosting on the cake," he says. "Going from a perceived shutdown to not only having an upgraded facility but having this project come in means so much to our veterans and to this community." —Ted Katauskas C For more information: 10 CITYVISION MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 wallawallawa.gov Packet Page 80 of 150 CITY PROFILE Home Rule Former state legislator Kelli Linville talks about the lessons she's learned and the perspective she has gained by tackling homelessness as mayor of her hometown, Bellingham. VIM Your family has lived in Whatcom County for four generations. My mom's grandfather was a bronze sculptor from Sweden, and my dad's dad came here from Croatia and was a fisherman. My father followed in his footsteps: he was a fisherman with his own boat and started a fish processing company. Did he teach you to fish? I didn't get to work on the boat because when I was a girl, having a woman on a boat was thought to be bad luck. So you earned bachelor's and master's degrees in speech pathology and went to work for the local school district for 16 years, then served in the state Legislature for 17 years before you became Bellingham's first female mayor in 2010. It's kind of fun to be mayor of a city that's so important to my family. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIEL BERMAN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 I CITYVISION MAGAZINE I 11 Packet Page 81 of 150 Tackling homelessness has been a hallmark of your administration. I have to give my community credit: in 2008, the city adopted a 10-year plan to end homelessness, then in 2012 the people of Bellingham passed a housing levy, which we are using to provide housing and services for low-income It's a property tax to the city, generating $3 million a year. We have different goals for the fund, from making sure we have supportive housing and services that allow that housing to be effective to preserving the housing we already have and helping first-time low-income homebuyers. What's "supportive housing"? That's housing low-income people with drug or alcohol addiction or mental illness using the Housing First model and getting them the services they need to be successful, whether it's mental health treatment or anything that prohibits them from being economically independent. What innovative programs does Bellingham have to serve its homeless population? One of our funded initiatives is the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), people who go out with police officers who develop relationships with homeless people and connect them with the services they need. It's operated by Whatcom Homeless Service Center and has been extremely successful. When I ask our police officers what two things I can do for them this year, one is more community beds; the other is more HOT team hours. Talk about Bellingham's Community Paramedic Program. That's a program that pairs paramedics with caseworkers and service providers to get the most frequent 911 callers the care and services they need and get them out of the revolving door of the ER —not just to treat the end result of homelessness, but to intervene earlier and treat the symptoms. Is the city on target to meet the goals of its 10-year homelessness plan? We're pretty excited because we've exceeded our goal already: we wanted to create 400 units of housing serving 1,900 people, and we've done over 500 units that are serving over 2,000 people —and we still have three years to go. What's next?? We recently condemned a motel because we had four deaths there in a year; there was meth contamination and other criminal activity going on there. The housing authority responded to an RFP to build a mixed -use development there that will include commercial office space along with housing for seniors, people with disabilities, and families coming out of homelessness. We are trying everything we can with all of our partners so that we can make the money we are collecting through our housing levy go even further. How can the state Legislature help with that goal? Money is coming in from the Legislature, but we are asking the Legislature to make sure the money is there to create housing units that will help the greatest number of people. Each community is different. We want to make sure that funding isn't so restrictive that we can't help people here in our community. Bellingham is ahead of its 10-year- plan targets, but will the city ever end homelessness? I can't tell you that it is achievable, but I know that if we don't have that goal, we don't have something to strive for. If we can see that every year we are breaking the cycle of homelessness, we may not be driving it down to zero, but at least we are making progress.... Every time we address homeless people in our community, we make things better for them and better for everybody else. What's one thing you've learned about homelessness? It's easy to feel very sad about the issue of homelessness, especially when you see people and you know there's nothing in that instant that you can do for them. In our community, we try to look at what is possible. If we can change lives one at a time, by the end of a certain period of time we have changed a lot of lives. C 12 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Packet Page 82 of 150 Cityvision looks at the Numbers how Bellingham has prioritized its quest to provide shelter. POPULATION DATA FROM THE 2010 US CENSUS, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED Ln N 1 I I 1 �11 839580 0 801,987 �ryC�CC 84.9% White 7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) Asian 1.3% Black or African American 1.3% American Indian .3% Pacific Islander 74% Of housing trust fund beneficiaries earn less than $14,250 21% Earn between $14,250 and $23,700 5%n Earn between $23,700 and $37,900 SOURCE: CITY OF BELLINGHAM HOME FUND 9'71+ Homeless on Whatcom County streets, 2015 92 Families with children 32 Average age � 4%Q 25% individuals Under 20 SOURCE:2015 WHATCOM COUNTY ANNUAL REPORT ON HOMELESSNESS 51% 5% 1ft Of local housing trust Homebuyer fund revenue goes assistance to rental housing production 4% Acquisition & 0% opportunity For rental loans assistance " &support 7 /� services Admin ir 15% For housing preservation SOURCE: CITY OF BELLINGHAM HOME FUND !$21M Property tax levy for locale housing trust fund Voter approval Years of Per $1,000 in 2012 levy term assessed value SOURCE: CITY OF BELLINGHAM HOME FUND JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I 13 Packet Page 83 of 150 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 iu i. r +��t� .. i Everett Deputy City Attorney David Hall, Mayor Ray Stephanson, +. and Lead Prosecutor Hil Kaman e f ; — -r--a a ac ge o fi50 ' SHALL BE FIRST BY TED KATAUSKAS PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIEL BERMAN BY UPENDING THE INHERITED SEQUENCE FOR ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER SOCIAL ILLS, EVERETT BECOMES THE LATEST WASHINGTON COMMUNITY TO START HOUSING ITS CITIZENS NOW. n the evening of November 16, a nearly full house of more than 350 city and county admin- istrators, mayors, social workers, ministers, and ordinary citizens pack the Historic Everett Theatre, a restored early-19th-century movie house anchoring the downtown of Snohomish County's seat. The crowd's not here to munch popcorn and watch The Great Train Robbery on Silent Film & Pipe Organ Night or to sing along with The Sound of Music. Instead, they've gathered to learn about Housing First from Lloyd Pendleton, a septuage- narian visionary from Salt Lake City whom city leaders have flown in to deliver a presentation about how Utah has used the program to effectively eradicate chronic homelessness in its capital city in less than a decade. Almost exactly a year earlier, on November 13, 2014, Ever- ett's Community Streets Initiative, a 23-member to the mayor had convened to better understand how I sk force chronic homelessness was eroding quality of life in the city's core, had issued its executive summary. The 54-page report —gleaned from tours of local mental health facilities, drug treatment centers, soup kitchens, and the county jail, as well as inter- views with business owners, nonprofit service providers, law enforcement officers, criminal justice officials, and a focus group of 42 homeless citizens —identified 16 short- and long- term strategies and more than 60 individual action items the city and community could implement to address a litany of social ills bedeviling its central business district, from public intoxication and drug dealing to shoplifting and car prowls. By the end of 2015, Everett had adopted almost every short- term strategy the task force had recommended, including establishing a downtown Alcohol Impact Area to prohibit the sale of inexpensive high -alcohol beverages; amending the ' city's panhandling ordinance to deter aggression and intimi- dation; hiring an embedded social service worker to patrol -• JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE 1 15 Packet Page 85 of 150 downtown alongside police; deploying a team of paramedics, public safety, jail, court, and hospital personnel to identify and assist homeless citizens who were overwhelming the city's emergency response services; and expanding the use of "ther- apeutic courts" that offered homeless defendants substance abuse and/or mental health treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Yet much remained to be done, including peti- tioning the state Liquor and Cannabis Board to make the city's Alcohol Impact Area permanent and mandatory (since only 17 percent of businesses in the city's Alcohol Impact Area had voluntarily complied with the city's pilot project); replicating a housing levy model that the cities of Seattle and Bellingham (see "Home Rule," p.11) had employed to help pay for low- income housing projects; and perhaps most important, em- bracing Housing First, a controversial model that turns the typical formula for sheltering the homeless on its head by taking the most problematic homeless citizens off the streets and then treating the underlying roots of their homelessness — conditions like alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness. "Once a chronically homeless person has stability, they're better able to work on other issues," explains deputy city at- torney David Hall. "Having them in housing and off the streets conserves public resources, because they're no longer cycling through the criminal justice system and the public defender's office and first responders. Even if it does nothing else, hous- ing the chronically homeless saves the city money." "We came to the realization that we need to be pursuing low -barrier housing," adds Hil Kaman, Everett's lead prosecutor, who along with Hall invited Pendleton to the city's Housing First forum. "It was a catalyst for further discussion and the city making a commitment to get low -barrier housing going out here." Back at the November 16 event, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, midway through an unprecedented fourth term, _M ONCE A CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PERSON HASSTABILITY THEY'RE BETTER ABLE YO WORK ON OTHER ISSUES. rallies the community, other local electeds, and potential partners behind the cause. "When I convened the Community Streets Initiative, I knew we had a crisis on our streets," he begins. "We still have a crisis on our streets, but we have the right people working on the problem, and we are making great progress.... Perhaps more important, we have a diverse group of our citizens talking and working together to break down barriers and solve a problem that affects our whole community." "Tonight, we focus on housing for the chronically homeless who have been living on the streets and aren't fit for other programs," Stephanson continues. "We know our current system, our jails and emergency rooms, are not equipped to address the chronically homeless. Our Chronic Utilizer Emergency Response Team found that just five chronic homeless individuals accounted for nearly 700 days in our jail in the last two years; they also accounted for 1,300 documented contacts with police and first responders in that same time span. Clearly, this is not a long-term solution and not helping get these individuals on a path to recovery. 16 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Packet Page 86 of 150 "We have learned through our work with the Housing First Approach that this is the most efficient and effective option for our chronically homeless." Stephanson then addresses his guest speaker's bona fides: Pendleton helped write and implement Utah's 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness in the state, which since 2005 has seen its homeless population dwindle from nearly 2,000 individuals to just 178. All but 1.23 percent of Utah's chronically homeless have been housed over that time span. Before ceding the stage, Stephanson adds a personal note. "I had a chance to visit with Lloyd this afternoon," he says, "and this guy is something special." I he stage lights dim, and "Homeless Homed," a five-minute video segment that aired on The Daily �1 Show with Jon Stewart on January 7, 2015, plays on i' the silver screen. The audience sits rapt as a voice- over by Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj booms over the surround sound system: "Across America, new ways of dealing with the homeless are being introduced, like banning them because of body odor, fining them for sleeping outdoors, and arresting them for sitting down. But Salt Lake City has taken the next step by removing homeless from the streets altogether." The camera pans to Minhaj stopping a pedestrian on a deserted Salt Lake City street. "Sir, have you seen any homeless people?" he asks. "Nope" Minhaj confronts a woman dashing by with an umbrella. "Have you seen any person living in a cardboard box?" "No, sorry." He faces the camera and lifts his hands to the sky. "Where the hell did they put everybody?" The scene fades to a studio, with Lloyd Pendleton, a retired Mormon church executive in a dark brown business suit, owlish eyes behind rimless spectacles, seated across from Minhaj. "We have reduced our chronic homeless in this county by 75 percent since 2005," Pendleton says. "Did you hide them underground?" asks Minhai. "We did not hide the homeless people underground." "Did you convert them from Mormon to gay? "We did not convert them from Mormon to gay, or from gay to Mormon." "So how did you do it?" "We did it by giving homes to homeless people." "Whoa. You did what?" "We gave homes to the homeless. Yes, it's simple. You give them housing, and you end homelessness." Further discussion ensues, during which Minhaj continues to feign incredulity while Pendleton points out that the average cost for Salt Lake City to treat a chronically homeless person living on the streets, at $20,000 per year, is roughly twice the cost of providing housing for that person. After Minhaj tacks to accusing Pendleton of promoting handouts, he goes to visit "one HOUSE UNITED O&A PHILIP MANGANO Philip Mangano, presi- dent and CEO of the American Round Table to Abolish Homeless- ness, talks about how government created the current homelessness crisis and whatgovern- ment—in partnership with theprivate sector — needs to do to end it. What sparked your inter- est in homelessness? About 32 years ago, I started volunteering ev- ery day on a bread line in downtown Boston. It was the first bread line in the city since the Great Depression. There were so many homeless people on the streets, and I wanted to understand why. What did you discover? A failure of public policy precipitated their home- lessness. How so? There was a well-inten- tioned effort to move peo- ple out of the back wards of hospitals and mental health facilities and house them in the community. We gave people housing, but we did not deliver on the services that were needed to support them in their tenancy. Without that support, they fell, and when they fell, they fell all the way to the street. So what did you do about it? I became director of homeless services for the City of Cambridge, then a regionally based advocacy group around Boston that was expanded statewide to remedy the failure to support our homeless neighbors. In 2002, you took your re- gional remedy and made it national policy as Presi- dent Bush's "homeless- ness czar," then did the same for President Obama in 2009. What were you able to accomplish? We reframed the issue of homelessness by put- ting business principles and practices to work for homeless people. The most important was cost -benefit analysis. We asked cities and counties across the country to do a cost -benefit analysis of homeless people in their communities, and we dis- covered that they were the most expensive individuals in any city or county. How expensive? The costs associated with a chronically homeless person on the streets ranged from $35,000 to $150,000 per person per year, because this population is randomly ricocheting through very expensive health and law enforcement systems. So what did you introduce to address that problem? Something called Housing First, which takes chroni- cally homeless people off the street and puts them directly into housing, paired with customized services continued on page 19 --o- JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 I CITYVISION MAGAZINE I 17 Packet Page 87 of 150 of these moochers in their moochatorium"—Russell Flowers, an elderly man who had been homeless for three years after losing a construction job due to injury. Seated in his living room at Valor House, a $5.4 million home for 72 chronically homeless veterans that opened in November 2012 as a partnership between Salt Lake City's Housing Authority and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Flowers explains how having the apartment helped him get a job that will allow him to save enough money to move back in with family in Chicago. "Now I'm totally lost," says Minhaj. "We've given him a home, he's gotten his life back together, he's become a productive member of society, and it's costing us less. What's the catch? There has to be a catch....' The scene fades back to Pendleton soberly eyeing the audience. "It's very simple: it works." And the segment concludes with another Minhaj voice-over. "If you see a homeless person, don't feel bad. Know that they can get a second shot at life: all they need to do is live in Utah.' Or perhaps Everett. ,. potlit onstage, Pendleton, dressed in the same con- J.servative suit he wore on the Daily Show a year ear- ' lier, takes the mic and cues his PowerPoint, "Utah's Homeless Approach." "Before I get started, I just wanted to tell you thanks, for who you are and for your interest in this subject, because the number who turned out here indicates that there is interest —you see an issue that needs to be addressed," he begins. "There are certain key ingredients that I have found are necessary if something really is going to be done. The key ingredient is a champion, and I've found that in your mayor, in your council, in a couple of guys—Hil and David —so you have the ingredients you need to make this happen. "Are you ready? Are you excited?!" Amid hoots and applause, the slide onscreen changes to a bar graph depicting the Utah's dwindling chronically homeless population, which, Pendlleton notes, has fallen precipitously in the year since the Daily Show episode aired at the start of 2015, from 539 to 178. "We've had a big reduction in the last year, and basically we are down to functional zero," he says. "We have a system in place that quickly identifies the homeless person and assesses their needs, and we move them into the appropriate intervention so that their period of homelessness is short-lived. You will never end homelessness. We know there are people who will die in the streets because they are mentally ill, and they have so many issues they will not come into housing; that maybe 1 percent or 2 percent of your population.... But you can provide a housing opportunity for every homeless citizen." He tells a story about returning to Utah in 2003 on a flight from Chicago, where he heard Sam Tsemberis lecture about ending chronic homelessness. Tsemberis, a faculty member of the Department of Psychiatry at New York University School MY MIND AND MY HEART SHIFTED AND I BECAME A DETERMINED SOUL of Medicine, is credited with articulating and applying the fundamentals of Housing First with the founding of a nonprofit called Pathways to Housing in 1992. Pendleton says he had an epiphany while looking out the airplane's window. "When I heard about the 10-year-plan to end chronic homelessness, I said, `You guys are smoking something: They'd use the words `ending homelessness,' and I would say, `That ain't gonna happen. There are too many personal choices,"' Pendleton recounts. `But as I looked out the window at the clouds going by, I said, `If any state in the union can achieve this, Utah can do it. My mind and my heart shifted, and I became a determined soul.' Another slide: "Housing First Principles." Pendleton talks about the program's two central tenets: that once the chaos of homeless is eliminated from a person's life, clinical and social stabilization occur faster and are more enduring; and that housing is a basic human need, not a reward for clinical success. Then he explains other principles, including moving people into housing directly from the streets or shelters without requiring them to accept or comply with treatment for substance abuse; providing needed treatment services to residents; requiring residents to pay 30 percent of their income, or at least $50; and affirming that all homeless people can be housed. Someone from the audience interrupts and asks why drug and alcohol use is tolerated, and whether that policy can be problematic for the housing provider. "Housing First is low -barrier, so you can drink and use drugs in your home," he explains. "But if you sell drugs, that's a criminal activity, and the police are called. It's just like in your own house: you can drink, you can use drugs, as long as you don't disturb your neighbors. But if you beat up your neighbor, you are evicted." Another audience member asks Pendleton about the genesis of Utah's Housing First program. The answer: it started small. Utah's Housing First program began with a pilot project to house just 17 of its most difficult cases in scattered apartments around the city while Salt Lake City's first dedicated 100-bed Housing First facility was under construction, funded by a broad -based coalition that included the city, the county, the state, the Mormon church, a private foundation, and corporate donors like American Express. And so it goes, Pendleton carefully laying out the blueprint of how Utah achieved its Housing First success, elaborating on step after step for nearly two hours, until finally he arrives at his lecture's endpoint. 18 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Packet Page 88 of 150 "What motivates me?" he asks. "To repurpose resources, to reach out and bring hope, and to light that flame within that person where the light has gone out.... It's doable. We did it. You can do it, too." A brief question -and -answer session follows. A graduate student earning a master's in social work asks Pendleton how a theater full of people can begin to elicit the support that will be needed to realize a Housing First success story like Utah's. "It's very easy," he says. "You take this man right here, this mayor, and you take this man here, the head of the port, and they go on an outreach team, and they meet these homeless people. They have a chance to meet them and find out that they are really human beings not any different from you or me. Numbers are interesting, and that's part of the discussion, but until you move it into the heart and you have a feeling and a connection, it ain't gonna happen." An agnostic asks why most states and municipalities have yet to adopt the Housing First model. "There haven't been champions," Pendleton replies. "It's hard work, and somebody needs to step up and say, `We're going to do this and I'm the leader, follow me." The evening closes with a final query about the most important step that needs to be taken for Housing First to succeed. "You say, `We're going to have 20 people housed in the next 2.5 months, and you start doing it," Pendleton concludes. "It works, but you need to know it works. You will be amazed at the change like addiction or mental health counseling. When we moved them into housing, they no longer were ran- domly ricocheting through county and city services: time in the emergency room dropped, police engage- ment dropped, substance abuse dropped, they weren't incarcerated anymore. And that saved cities money. If I'm a public off icial—a mayor or county executive or governor —I can spend $35,000 to $150,000 per person per year to maintain a person in homelessness, or I can invest $12,000 to $25,000 to end homeless- ness and stop that cycling through very expensive systems. You don't need to be Warren Buffett to figure out which of those is the better investment. Does it work only in big cities? We have done studies in large, small, and medium - size cities across the coun- try, and the results are al- ways the same. You have a public policy initiative that is better for the community, better for the homeless per- son, better for the taxpayer. If the Housing First model works so well, why wasn't chronic homelessness eradicated in those cities that have adopted it? It hasn't been scaled to be commensurate with the size of the problem.... The resources that are needed are not going to come from government. What about nonprofits? Nonprofits have done great work, but they don't have the resources to develop housing at the scale need- ed to accomplish the mis- sion. The private sector can be the agent of scaling. Why would a developer want to help a city house its homeless? By building housing, the private sector saves gov- ernment -money, an gov- ernment repays private investors with a return on their investment. That's what the cost -benefit analysis demonstrated, that's what we launched in Massachusetts, and that's what's being considered in many cities and coun- ties and states. It's called social -impact financing. But housing is only one part of the Housing First model, right? In the Housing First model, you provide a place to live, and you wrap around that person customized social services that are needed to support that person in ten- ancy. Housing without ser- vices for the most vulnerable sets people up for failure. Any words of advice for Washington electeds who want to try Housing First? Make a pilgrimage: go see it working. There's noth- ing better than to visit with another mayor or public official in whose jurisdiction Housing First happened and learn how to do it right. What's the big idea behind your nonprofit, the Ameri- can Round Table to Abol- ish Homelessness? When I was in Washington, we saw the first document- ed decrease in street and chronic homelessness in our country. The Round Table continues that momentum by working with communi- ties to upgrade their efforts. To abolish this social wrong, innovation and results are essential along with politi- cal will. And stamina. And faith. Investing in evidence - based initiatives means that we are leaving behind what didn't work and em- bracing what does. But I still pray every day! L.� JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I 19 Packet Page 89 of 150 Mayor Nicola Smith and Rev. Christopher Boyer with Mary Ann 1)iIIoil, senior regional director of the YWCA -of - Seattle -Snohomish -King County, at the Lynnwood Worrmen's Shelter ONE OF THE HUNDREDS who attended both Housing First community forums at the Historic Everett Theatre was the Rev. Christopher Boyer, a councilmember from Lynnwood, a south Snohomish County public -transit hub 12 miles south of Everett that's been using its limited re- sources to grapple with homelessness. Two years ago, Boyer launched Lynnwood's Homelessness Task Group, a coalition of city electeds, staff, and community leaders that's similar to Everett's Community Streets Initiative. "For a year, we looked at the issue and what services are already there for these folks," says Boyer, pastor of Good Shepherd Baptist Church, an integral part of an interfaith social services network that provides food and emergency shelter for Lynnwood's homeless. "And then we spent another several months talking about how can we take a very limited pool of money from our city bud- get to catalyze those services and dedicate it to trying to find real solutions." Recently, the City of Lynnwood awarded a $75,000 grant to the YWCA of Seattle -Snohomish -King County, which manages an eight -bed shelter for women and chil- dren in the city (the only homeless shelter between Everett and Seattle), to provide a homeless needs assessment and develop a comprehensive plan to address those needs. Considering the latest statistics and anecdotal evi- dence, the needs appear great. According to the Point In Time census that Snohomish County's Human Services Department released on February 1, over the past year the number of unsheltered individuals in the county surged to 481 from 312, an increase of 54 percent, while the number of unsheltered families with children in the county more than doubled, from 16 to 35. And nobody knows the actual numbers, "Counting homeless folks is very difficult," explains Boy- er. "The assumption is that the count only represents 66 to 75 percent of the actual total." A surge certainly can be seen at Lynnwood's public library on cold and rainy days. I "Our library has become a day center for many of our homeless," says Mayor Nicola Smith. "Those who are experi- encing homelessness are our neighbors, but they are neigh- bors in distress. Lynnwood doesn't have shelters for the homeless, and the library can't be a long-term solution." "The word we have embraced in Lynnwood is 'up- stream,"' adds Smith. "It will cost us less as a city and a county to help people get well and get some cover over their head than to have law enforcement and emergency room services as the only option." As an example of such upstream innovation, the mayor points to the city's Community Health & Safety Program, a team of representatives from five city departments who respond en masse to citizen complaints. If a neigh- bor calls the city about suspicious activity around a drug house, the city team, as it deals with potential criminal goings-on, can address any code violations and health and safety issues, such as exposed electrical wiring. "It's been a really successful program," says Smith, who hopes to expand the program to include an embedded social worker for community policing_ But what Lynn- wood really needs is more housing, like the new perma- nent home for 20 chronically homeless veterans that will open on the outskirts of town later this year, a project of the Catholic Community Services of Western Washington (funded with $4.1 million from the state Housing Trust Fund and Snohomish County Human Services). "As much as we would like to say, 'Here's a piece of land, and we'll build a building to take care of these folks,' the city of Lynnwood can't afford that," stresses Boyer. "One of the things that the contract with the YWCA does for us is to start bringing together our peers and our sis- ter cities and say, 'We think Lynnwood is the site because of our access to transportation, but if we're willing to take on this much of the issue, how much can you other cities pony up and help us work on this?"' As a community of communities. in the discussion when you say, `We will do this in the next 2.5 months: That is key. I hope to hear back from David and Hil, that you have people housed in the next 2.5 months. And that the county is part of the solution. You do it." And they did. t a follow-up Housing First forum on the eve- ning of February 1, a crowd of 225 returns to the plush velvet seats of the Historic Everett Theatre. The bulk of the evening will be spent !hearing testimony from a panel of experts that includes the executive directors from a trio of nonprofits that have been using the Housing First model to success- fully shelter and treat more than 1,000 formerly chronically homeless in Seattle and Spokane. But the highlight is Mayor Stephanson's Housing First progress report, which begins with an introduction by the evening's moderator, Mark Smith, executive director of the Housing Consortium of Everett and Snohomish County. "I was an observer on the mayor's Community Streets Initiative, and as a former elected official, I was so encouraged by Mayor Stephanson's opening remarks when he introduced this citizens' task force because he said, `We are not going to kick this down the road. We are not just going to give these people bus passes out of our community. We are going to help people: And that's an amazing thing." After the applause dies down, Smith notes that earlier that day Mayor Stephanson had convened the first roundtable discussion of a new coalition that includes mayors and coun- cilmembers from across Snohomish County, the county exec- utive and council, and the governor, who pledged his support to secure state funding for the mental health treatment that's required by the Housing First model. "It was an amazing gathering of elected officials who talked about a future collaboration to include criminal justice, health care, affordable housing organizers, all of this because of Mayor Stephanson's leadership," Smith says. "Governor Inslee was there, and he said something that really resonated with everybody. He said that chronic homelessness is not something that's urban or rural; it's not something that's east or west or large or small. It's in every one of our communities, and we need a collective, collaborative approach to end it." Then Stephanson steps to the podium and talks about a momentous phone call he had made that morning. "I had a chance to talk with Lloyd Pendleton this morning. It was a little like reporting out to my principal," he says, elic- iting laughter from the audience. "I learned something from Lloyd, and that was it's really important to get your partners engaged in this and committed. [County Executive] Dave Somers has been terrific. Before he took office he was there and said, `What can we do and how can we help?' Then we got the governor involved.... It doesn't hurt to have the governor of the state saying that Everett is the place to look in terms of how we solve this problem." ,40 F WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO D . BUT WE'RE ON TIIE RIGHT TRACK. Or the state Legislature. With the support of Everett's council, Stephanson reports, the city has committed $2 million toward a capital campaign to build a 60-unit low -barrier housing development for the chronically homeless, and it hopes to close on the purchase of a parcel of land for the project by the end of February. The county has pledged $1 million, and Stephanson is seeking another $2 million from the Legislature, an ask backed by Rep. June Robinson and Sen. John McCoy. But there's even better news. "In September, I announced we were going to do 20 units of housing by the end of 2017. Then Lloyd came and made me feel guilty, so I said, `OK, we'll do 20 by the middle of this year,"' Stephanson says, eliciting whoops of approval from the audience. "Then I thought, `That sounds good, but we can do a little better. So I said, `We'll do five in the first 60 days."' With the help of the local YWCA, in three days, on the mayor's birthday, the city of Everett would take five chronically homeless citizens off the street and place them into permanent housing —its first Housing First success. "What's most important to me is the support I have felt from all of you and this community around this issue and this initiative, like no other effort in my 13 years of being mayor," he says. "We have a lot of work to do, but we're on the right track." Snohomish County Human Services Director Mary Jane Brell-Vujovic, the first panelist to speak, puts it another way. "Everett did a masterful job. I wish we could bottle it," she says. "There's no shortcut in creating a unified vision of where you want to go." C JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE 1 21 Packet Page 91 of 150 CITY COMBATING STUDENT HOMELESSNESS 'i FROM TENTS TO HOUSING PULLING APART HOMELESS ISSUES AND STREET DISORDER Partner Power For an initiative on home- less students, potential city partners include school districts, housing providers, faith communities, nonprofit organizations, private founda- tions, business leaders, phi- lanthropies, counties, and the state. And keep in mind these general considerations: N Partners can come together through a mayor- or city council - designated task force or committee. 4 Use your partnership to leverage financial resources, contribute lead- ership, and help frame the policy agenda. N A strong partnership has shared goals, shared responsibilities, and shared resources. It is a good idea to have your goals in writing and outline which partner will do what, by when. ■F A partnership doesn't always mean money. It can be as simple as a mayor or city manager designating city staff time to work in collabora- tion with other agencies or organiza- tions that have a shared goal. ALISHIA TOPPER, Vancouver City Councilmember HOME ECONOMICS VANCOUVER GOES BACK TO SCHOOL ON HOMELESSNESS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE INCREASINGLY FINDING THEMSELVES struggling to deal with the impact homelessness has on their communities. In the city of Vancouver, our focus and funding are designated for core services including police, fire, streets, parks, water, and sewer. We don't have a direct role over social services (e.g., education or housing), and, like many other cities, we don't have excess general -fund capacity to substantially support such services. Since June 2015, the rental vacancy rate in Vancouver has been around 2 percent, down from 3.8 percent five years ago. From October 2014 to October 2015, the median rent for a two-bedroom/one-bath unit in Vancouver increased 15.6 percent, the highest percentage increase in the nation. Housing inventory, afford- ability, and homelessness are now among the city's most pressing issues. The tightening market and the dramatic increase in rental rates are hitting our community's most vulnerable residents —seniors, disabled, and working poor —the hardest. These conditions are contributing to the rise in the number of cost -burdened households in our community (those paying more than 30 percent of income for housing). Recent esti- 1'I Alfshlu7bpper ' mates show that half of Vancouver's approximately 33,000 hsa Vancouver renter households are cost -burdened, with nearly 23 percent rityroaneilruemaj severely cost -burdened (paying more than 50 percent of their lierandDireetor, income for housing).O trutepfe Pa rtrrarRhips for the filmily- Homelessness in our schools cominuniry The media tend to focus on the most visible elements of home- re:euurce centers lessness, such as people living and sleeping on the streets. But in SrancpuVer Publicsehoots. a troubling, often overlooked phenomenon is the growing number of "hidden homeless" in our school -age population. 22 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Packet Page 92 of 1 In the state of Washington, 45 percent (482,024) of K-12 students qualify for free or reduced -price meals, a federal indicator of financial hardship. In Vancouver, 52 percent of students qualify for free or reduced -price meals. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction reported in 2013-14 that more than 32,000 of our state's children are homeless students. In Vancouver Public Schools alone, we estimate there are approximately 500 homeless students. Numerous studies have shown how homelessness nega- tively impacts student achievement and graduation rates, which in turn impacts future income levels. Unfortunately, this is not an easy problem to tackle, nor is there a one -size - fits -all solution for homeless students. These youth are facing enormous barriers in their day-to-day lives, including divorce, domestic violence, housing evictions, and substance abuse, any of which can cause students to end up homeless or as unaccompanied youth. Are the issues of student homelessness and affordable housing onerous? Yes. Can we make a difference? Absolutely. Taking action The City of Vancouver has partnered with the Vancouver Housing Authority to help provide safe, sanitary housing accommodations for low-income residents. In 2015, the Vancouver City Council supported this partnership by making allowances for full or partial waivers of impact fees for the construction of low-income housing. Councilmem- bers also helped facilitate a collaborative agreement between the housing authority and local school districts to ensure that homeless students and their families find and stay in stable housing. In addition, councilmembers advocated for the initiation of a Section 8 preference for families who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, with children in public schools. In Vancouver, homeless schoolchildren and their families are referred to the Section 8 application process by school advocates or a homeless liaison. The priorities are to stabi- lize students, decrease mobility, and address housing afford- ability. As a community, we must continue to find, create, and support interventions for homeless children of families living in crisis. Positively changing the trajectory of our students' future pays dividends not only for the student, but also for the economic vitality of our communities. A community response Homelessness and the lack of affordable housing are commu- nity issues. The government cannot solve this alone. Housing authorities, school districts, nonprofits, and faith organiza- tions cannot solve this crisis alone. We need a community response —a robust network of ambitious and collaborative partnerships. Communities should consider creating a homeless or poverty task force to bring together thought leaders and direct -service providers to jointly work toward long-term collective solutions to student homelessness. If your commu- nity already has a collaborative task force, make sure a city staff member or councilmember serves on the committee. Carefully consider how to balance development incentives with requirements that ensure affordability for the lowest - Homelessness negatively impacts student achievement and graduation rates, which in turn in future income levels. income community members. (Incentives tend to work best at the higher margins of affordability, for example 60-115 percent of area median income.) Also, make sure options are targeted at helping your city's most vulnerable residents, including very low-income and homeless households. The power of partnerships One thing is certain: if we don't talk about the problem and cultivate partnerships focused on resolving the issues of homelessness, especially student homelessness, the future of our cities and state will be compromised. Make it your goal to ensure that city leaders are informed, connected, and engaged with partner agency leaders in the social service, public, nonprofit, faith, business, and education sectors. Preventing and ending homelessness and promoting affordable housing are ambitious goals. They will require equally ambitious collaboration, innovation, planning, and commitment, but by leveraging our collective knowledge and resources we can help end this problem. C For more information: JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I 23 of cityvancouver.us Packet Page 93 of 150 TINY HOUSE DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST WHAT DOES IT TAKE? Committed community organization 00 Broad community support •r Development expertise in financing options and design and land use issues 10 Site near public transporta- tion and services Zoning approval 10 Building and housing code compliance i* Management plan — operations, contract compliance, rules, evictions Operating funding: How much will rents cover, and what other funds are needed? FROM TENTS TO HOSPITAL BEDS WHAT ARE THE CAPITAL COSTS? Tent Unconditioned tiny house (without plumbing or electricity) Quixote Village Tiny House (cost includes land, difficult site remediation, community building construction) Jail cell Subsidized small apartment Hospital bed $352,992 Source: Tiny Houses: A Permanent Supportive Housing Model GINGER SEGEL, Community Frameworks GIMME SHELTER PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVES FROM OLYMPINS QUIXOTE VILLAGE THOUSANDS OF TENT CITIES HAVE SPRUNG UP around the country to offer safety and community to homeless people. Many are on church property, many are sanctioned by local governments, and many are supported by non -homeless people. Building tiny house structures is a logical next step toward permanent subsidized housing. Quixote Village (see "Home Less, Home More" on page 7) was made possible by the determination of its tent -camp residents and their supporters: telling their story, making the case, and persuading private funders, public funders, and the community. The Panza board's ability to secure funding through political channels was critical. Can this project be replicated? I believe it can with the right funding scenarios in place. First, sufficient public funds are available to cover the majority of capital costs, with minimal regulations and no repayment expectations. Second, sufficient operating funds are available, the most promisingbeing the project - based Section 8, which can be used if the proj- Ibelieve ect can meet housing quality standards (HQS). For Quixote Village, Olympia adopted a single the Quixote room occupancy definition that met HQS stan- Village dards. However, some housing authorities have already project -based as many Section 8's as project can the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development allows; others are unwilling to be replicated convert tenant vouchers. Third, service funding is available. Although with the most residents receive medical, mental health, or substance abuse services right funding through other community GirrgerSeget scenarios agencies, an on -site case d"el❑lavhnarsinp manager (resident advo- flip aeniorsarrd in place. cate) is critical to monitor p opieadrh residents' well-being. It disabilities, hJ)M4RS6 s hel- may be possible to partner lem rron,<irional with a mental health agencyto provide on -site case management. andlxrmanenr A project funded by private philanthropic donations without supponivehous- the use of public funds maybe constructed more inexpensively urce irys it starkf rri and could perhaps use volunteer labor hours extensively. It is cemmunir%, also possible to reduce development costs if the Quixote Vil- renters, lage concept is scaled to a state or regional level using template designs and if the houses are produced in bulk in a factory. 24 ! CITYVISION MAGAZINE I For more Information: JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 10 communityframeworks.org Packet Page 94 of 150 DAVID HALL, Deputy City Attorney, Everett STREET LEGAL ASSESSING HOMELESSNESS AMID PUBLIC -SAFETY CONCERNS AS CITIES EVERYWHERE STRUGGLE TO RESPOND to homeless —necessarily sit and lie in the growing homelessness crisis, public discourse increasingly public. To ban these activities is to make navraxarr includes the phrase "criminalizing homelessness." It is useful it unlawful to be unsheltered. This type istheEverett for policy makers to understand what this phrase really of blanket sit -lie ordinance has been Deputy City means and to move past the polarizing interpretation— struck down by the courts, with at least Attorney and "any ordinance that potentially affects homeless people is one court holding that, in the absence kadstaJfforthe Everett Streets criminalizing homelessness" —it sometimes receives. A more of sufficient space in local shelters, a Initiative,a nuanced view of the various ordinances that some would citywide 24-7 sit -lie ban violates the community characterize as criminalizing homelessness can aid elected Eighth Amendment's prohibition against stakeholder task officials as they try to maintain public safety and reduce cruel and unusual punishment. force charged with develapiny street disorder while addressing the daunting challenge Less draconian sit -lie ordinances may rcconrmenda- of homelessness. withstand legal challenge, although they tionsto.addrvss An example of an ordinance that most people would will still be criticized as criminalizing Everett 'sstrecr- lK�er��iar agree criminalizes homelessness is a citywide, 24-7 ban homelessness. Many cities prohibit sit- „saes. on sitting or lying in public places —the so-called "sit -lie" ting and/or lying in certain areas (most ordinance. Everyone needs to sit down occasionally, and we often, the commercial core) for some all need to sleep. People living on the street —the unsheltered portion of the day (e.g., continued IT,'S ABOUT CRIME THE SEATTLE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW'S HOMELESS RIGHTS ADVOCACY PROJECT surveyed municipal codes in 72 Washington cities (representing 56% of the state population in urban and rural areas) for ordinances that criminalize common aspects of homelessness. Here is the percentage of cities that have versions of such ordinances: Sitting or Sleeping in Urination/ Obstruction Aggressive Camping in Lodging, Dumpster- Storage of Restricting standing in public spaces defecation in of sidewalks panhandling particular living, or diving in trash personal access to public places public or public public places sleeping in receptacles property in public facili- places vehicles public places ties to those who create 78% 78% 75% 72 % body odor 63 % 63% 32% 28% 22'% 2°Io Source: Washington's War on the Visibly Poor: A Survey of Criminalizing Ordinances & Their Enforcement, May 2015 For more information: JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CITYVISION MAGAZINE 25 everettwa.org Packet Page 95 of 150 7 a.m.-10 p.m.). In general, such ordinances are more defensible if they cover smaller areas and less time, if other space is made available where sitting and lying are permitted (e.g., parks), and if the city can show it has suf- ficient shelter space. Any policy discussion concerning sit -lie ordinances needs to acknowledge that the ordi- nance does nothing to solve the problem of homeless- ness; it simply moves it to another part of the city. Some would include a range of nuisance and "civility" crimes in the criminalizing homelessness category. Many people are understandably offended or even frightened by behaviors like aggressive panhandling, public consumption of alcohol, public urination and defecation, trespass, and other "uncivil" behaviors. Business owners worry that overlooking these behaviors drives away customers; few would dispute that they diminish the quality of life in a community. Civility offenses are by no means committed exclusively by people who are homeless. Nonetheless, enforcement of civility laws does bring large numbers of homeless individuals into contact with the criminal justice system. If a local government's only response to these low-level crimes is stepped -up enforcement, it might fairly be accused of criminalizing homelessness. The questions faced by policy makers should be how, not whether, to enforce civility laws and what role enforcement plays in a broader response to homelessness. Many (but not all) people living on the street have a mental illness, substance use disorder, or other condition that contributes both to their continued homelessness and their repeated criminal conduct. Responding to these behaviors solely with the traditional criminal justice model is both expensive and ineffective. In fact, it often makes the problem worse: people lose benefits like SSDI while in jail; social ties are severed; individuals with mental illness often decompensate in the harsh, unfamiliar, stressful environment of jail and return to the street with even less capacity to function than when they were arrested. The community may be better servedby interventions that address the root causes of their criminal behavior. Diversion programs and therapeutic courts give offenders opportunities to connect with services and successfully complete drug and alcohol, mental health, or other treatment programs instead of going to jail. Panhandling presents different issues. Only some homeless people regularly panhandle, and only some panhandlers are homeless. Moreover, many social service providers believe panhandling should not be supported because it so often perpetuates an unhealthy lifestyle. But the courts have made it clear that asking for charity is a form of speech protected by the First Amendment, leaving open the possibility only of narrowly tailored prohibitions, such as banning truly aggressive panhandling or panhandling that creates safety hazards. Policy makers wishing to discourage panhandling must do so indirectly, for example with educational campaigns urging people to donate to charities that fight poverty and homelessness rather than directly to people on the street. aw W Diversion programs and therapeutic courts give offenders opportunities to connect with services and successfully complete treatment programs instead of going to jail. Another legal tool worth mentioning is the Alcohol Impact Area. State law allows a municipality to desig- nate areas that are disproportionately affected by the sale of certain alcoholic beverages, typically high -potency, single -serving products sold for off -premises consump- tion. Designation of the impact area must be supported by data, such as elevated levels of alcohol -related crime, emergency responses, or discarded containers. Retailers within the impact area are not allowed to sell products placed on a "banned products" list, and enforcement is against the retailers, not their customers. Research has shown significant reductions of alcohol -related impacts within the several AIAs that have been established by Washington cities. By recognizing that street disorder is largely a result of social and public health problems, as opposed to criminality, cities can develop policies that protect public safety and quality of life and make a dent in our social ills without criminalizing homelessness. r 26 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Packet Page 96 of 150 Ll • 7 ,a { This is why T. you work so hard to pay the mortgage. /.�/.1 V. 1 •� . *�IIII11x MAKING HOME AFFORDABLE.cov 11�11111 888-995-HOPE (Ll7CI We are a free government resource that can make paying the mortgage easier. Call now to talk one--on-one with a housing expert. Now more options are available. Collaboration and coordination can help keep our streets from becoming a refuge of last resort. WHEN THE BEAT OF THE CROWD IS PULSING, it's fun to be on the streets. The strength of numbers is in- vigorating; the community connection is energizing. But when you're homeless —and you can't take shelter when the party's over —the streets aren't such a welcoming place. Cities around the nation are declaring a homelessness state of emergency. The alarm bells amplify how the 3Hs— homelessness, housing, and human services —are wrapped in layers of complexity. But the simple fact remains: with the cost of housing rising and workers living on the employ- ment bubble, families and individuals can't always afford shelter. On the front lines, homelessness can get conflated with street disorder: how do you help someone who is in trouble and needs assistance, but maybe exhibiting antisocial and sometimes criminal behavior? When we struggle to fund and deliver treatment for mental health issues and substance abuse, homelessness increases. Traumatized vet- erans, disadvantaged youth, and people who simply aren't prepared to function in today's economy may turn to the streets. Solving this crisis requires the strength of an entire com- munity, working together to find humanitarian solutions. It's going to take a deeply collaborative approach at the city, county, state, and federal levels to combat the immediate ef- fects of homelessness and its underlying causes. We'll know we're getting close to home when we reach a place where people can leave the streets behind. C 28 1 CITYVISION MAGAZINE I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Packet Page 98 of 150 Packet Page 99 of 150 So many choices Find the right fit for your health benefits AWC Employee Benefit_Trust For more than four decades, we've been the premier health benefit provider for cities, towns and local government agencies in Washington. We have a long history of commitment to employee health, and our rates provide stability that members can count on. choice I health I service EMPLOYEE BENEFIT TRUST 1-800-562-8981 awcnet.orglhealthbenefits -A Carol Rowe Memorial Food Bank Hunger affects many of us. One life transition - job loss or change, health issue, family crisis, cuts in benefits - can make it so we must choose between healthy food and other necessities. Often, we just need a little assistance. The Carol Rowe Memorial Edmonds Food Bank is here to help. Our mission is: To provide, free of charge, fresh and nutritious food to families needing help who are located in Edmonds and in the surrounding communities of South Snohomish County; To support other food ministries - meal, school meal, homeless, shelter -- in our local communities; To work with courtesy and respect, and to serve all without discrimination; To act as a point of useful and reliable information on other social, health and educational services available in the community and the county. We are open on Tuesdays, 50 weeks a year. We serve Edmonds residents between 9:30 and 11:00 am. Beginning at 11:00 am, we serve anyone who comes. If you are a first time visitor we ask that you provide: Photo Identification Proof of your current address - (current utility bill or other official mail) Identification for each member of your household (driver's license, state ID, medical insurance cards, birth certificates, social security cards or school ID) Please enter the building on the west side at the Thrift Shop entrance. The parking lot is often filled, please do not be on site until 15 minutes before the time for your group to enter. If you are not able to get to the food bank, other options may be available. Please call 425-778-5833, to alert us to your need and discuss alternatives. The Carol Rowe Memorial Food Bank is located at: Edmonds United Methodist Church 828 Caspers Street Edmonds WA 98020 425-778-5833 foodbankCpedmon dsumc. ors? Packet Page 101 of 150 Food Bank Food Bank Hours/Schedule for Recipients: Tuesdays 9:30-10:OOam (Line begins at 9:15 a.m.) EDMONDS RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (doctor's verification required) and STUDENTS (must show proof of enrollment) 10:00-11:00am (Line begins at 9:45am) EDMONDS RESIDENTS 11:00-11:30am (Line begins at 10:30 a.m.) NON-EDMONDS RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (doctor's verification required) 11:30-12:00 noon (Line begins at 10:45 a.m.) ANY NON-EDMONDS RESIDENTS Please use the Food Bank nearest your address. You may only use one food bank each week. Other Area Food Banks: Concern for Neighbors Food Bank at Terrace View Presbyterian Church 4700 228th Street SW Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 (425-778-7227) Distribution Hours: Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Lynnwood Food Bank located behind Silver Creek Family Church 5320 - 176th St. SW, Lynnwood Director: Judy Finn (425-745-1635) Distribution Hours: Alternate Wednesdays, 2:30-6:30 p.m., 2:00-2:30 for those in wheelchairs, and/or on oxygen, all others until 6:00 p.m. http://www.edmondsumc.org/foodbank Packet Page 102 of 150 Food & Clothing Bank - Westgate Chapel - Edmonds, WA Emergency Services FOOD BANWestgate Chapel� Open Thursdays from 11am - 2pm in The Commons Phone 425.977.4500 Westgate Chapel Emergency Services is wholly funded by donations of the Westgate Chapel family and the greater Edmonds, Washington community and is a member of the Snohomish County Food Bank Coalition which is made up of twenty food banks in our county. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Packet Page 103 of 150 Food & Clothing Bank - Westgate Chapel - Edmonds, WA Each week we operate a food and clothing bank for the less fortunate in the greater Edmonds community. The food we distribute is donated by Northwest Harvest, Food Lifeline and the United States Federal Commodities Program. In addition, food, clothing and household items are donated by the Westgate Chapel congregation and the greater Edmonds community. We also purchase food when donations are not sufficient. In addition to food and clothing, we also provide some financial assistance, gasoline and community transit vouchers for appointments orjob searches and/or grocery vouchers for specialized needs. Clo thing is free of charge, but recipients must register in the Food Bank for this service School Supply Drive School Supply Drive - Westgate Chapel Food Bank will be having a School Supply Drive for our low-income families. If you would like to be a blessing to our communityyou may donate items from the list available atwestgatechapel.com. These items may be dropped off in the wooden Food Bank donation boxes. School Supplies Backpacks, Paper (college and wide -ruled), Pens Pencils, Colored Pencils, Colored Markers, Crayons (24 count), Sharpie, Extra Fine Point Pens, Glue & Glue Sticks, Scissors (Blunt and Pointed), Rulers, Erasers, Prang Water colors, Red Pens, Pencil Boxes, & Pouches, Spiral Notebooks, Composition Books, Tabbed Notebook Dividers, 3 Ring 1 1/2 " Binders, Calculators, Compass, Protactors, Folders, Pencil Sharpener. You may drop these items off in Food Bank donation bins. Packet Page 104 of 150 Food & Clothing Bank - Westgate Chapel - Edmonds, WA Contact Us 22901 Edmonds Way Edmonds, WA 98020 425.775.2776 info@westgatechapel.com http://westgatechapel.com/ministries/new-heart-ministries/food-clothing-bank-2/ 2/18/2016 Packet Page 105 of 150 Annie's Kitchen « Edmonds Lutheran Church Annie's Kitchen Annie's Kitchen is a free weekly community dinner held every Wednesday night, 5:00 — 6:30, and is served in the church fellowship hall. Everyone is welcome, regardless of their circumstances. 150 people share a meal on any given Wednesday evening. The kitchen crew of volunteers start prepping about noon, with various shifts of workers coming and going throughout the day cooking, chopping, peeling, tossing, until a hot, home -cooked, nutritious and hearty meal is ready. The tables are set, the milk is poured. The guests arrive, and all are fed. Volunteers host children's activities and a quiet homework area. Parents can finish leisurely finish their dinner while their children are being taken care of. All this is supported by a team of gleaners who pick up produce, meat and beverages from many local grocery stores and specialty eateries — 7 days a week. The gleanings go to "The Kitchen", as well as to many other feeding programs, food banks, tent cities, veteran's programs, etc. There is also a clothing rack with free items for anyone who needs each evening. Volunteers from around the community make this program soar. To visit Annie's Kitchen's website, go to annieskitclsen.edmondslutlieran.or Let us know if you would like more information, or to volunteer, contact Annie at adriennefrtnm@gmail.com, or Rozella at rogerandrozella@comcast.net. If you would like to help with the clothing rack, contact Maurene Barnes at mandbarnes@comcast.net http://www.edmondslutheran.org/community-connections/annies-kitchen/ 2/18/2016 Packet Page 106 of 150 Annie's Kitchen « Edmonds Lutheran Church Page 4 of 6 • Edmonds Lutheran Church 23525 84th Ave W Edmonds, WA 98026 425-744-8090 office@edmbndslutheran.org Packet Page 107 of 150 Puget Sound Christian Clinic — Mobile Medical Clinic For appointments, call (206) 363-4105 PUGET SOUND CHRISTIAN CLINIC Bringing hope & health to communities"l f About Patient Services Give Volunteer Blog Contact Jobs Home / Mobile Medical Clinic Mobile Medical Clinic Information Our Mobile Medical Clinic partners with churches and other community groups to bring medical care directly to underserved patients throughout the Puget Sound Area. All services are by appointment only, with a suggested donation of $10 per visit. All of our sites have ongoing needs for medical providers, CDL drivers, site coordinators and/or other volunteers to sustain operations in each community. If you'd like to help bring health care to underserved neighbors, please complete a volunteer application. For more information, visit our Volunteer page or email volunteer@pschristianclinic.org with questions. Mobile Medical Clinic Sites (click for appointments, hours and directions): + Green Lake @ The Aurora Commons + Shoreline @ Northwest Church + Snohomish @ Cross View Church + Lynnwood @ Trinity Lutheran Church http://pschristianclinic.org/mobile-clinic 2/18/2016 Packet Page 108 of 150 Puget Sound Christian Clinic — Mobile Medical Clinic 14197IK>r-I[O024410 2152 N. 122nd Street Seattle, WA 98133-8524 (206) 363-4105 i ntoopsr h riatia nd i n i t'Org http://pschristianclinic.org/mobile-clinic Packet Page 109 of 150 Win 2-1-1 - Program Details - Emergency Cold Weather Shelter - South Snohomish Coun... Page 1 of 2 ocations • South Snohomish County Emergency Shelter Network 19100 44th Ave. W, Lynnwood, WA 98036 ervice Details • Next Service > • < Previous Service ■ Save Resource mergency Cold Weather Shelter !Agency: South Snohomish County Emergency jCold Weather Shelter 19100 44th Ave. W Lynnwood, WA, 98036 Map Phone: (425) 778 - 2159 Ext: 296 Hours: After 1pm Description emergency cold weather event is declared when the perature is anticipated to be 33 F, or below, for 4 hours or •e overnight. The network declares and publicizes the event Hugh a phone hotline, reader board at Trinity Lutheran irch, and a posting at Lynnwood Library. Ipen to families, women and men. If the population seeking helter exceeds the capacity of our network, preference is iven to children, women, elderly, and the sick. ion Instructions -ive at Lynnwood City Hall 19100 44th Ave W, Lynnwood 7:00pm or next to bus stop on 196th and Highway 99 (by ider Joe's) by 7:05pm. ees one usiness Hours [-F, 9am-5pm http://www.resourcehouse.com/WIN211 /details.aspx?AgencyID=13224&LinklD=9498C3... 2/18/2016 Packet Page 110 of 150 Win 2-1-1 - Program Details - Emergency Cold Weather Shelter - South Snohomish Coun... Page 2 of 2 Served County ebsites Telephones: types, numbers and hours Typ=e Number I Hours atUn (425) 778 - 2159 Ext: 296iAfter 1 tam Update 0/22/2015 • Next Service > • < Previous Service • Save Resource http://www.resourcehouse.com/WIN211 /details.aspx?AgencyID=13224&LinkID=9498C3... 2/18/2016 Packet Page 111 of 150 Cocoon House: Surrounding homeless kids with hope - By Brian Soergel - Edmonds, WA... Page 1 of 3 EDMONDS BEACON Cocoon House: Surrounding homeless kids with hope By Brian Soergel I Feb 17, 2016 Cocoon House's Nicolas Quijano said he can help 40 to 50 homeless or at -risk youth at a time She may not say much, but Annie packs a powerful message as she watches the world go by outside Firestation Gourmet Deli on Main Street in Mill Creek. Annie is a mannequin and part of "Take a Closer Look," which hopes to shine a light on youth homelessness. The eye-catching initiative is run by Cocoon House, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary of serving at -risk and homeless youth in Snohomish County. Enlarge.., it a way to show awareness of homelessness," said Firestation Deli owner Mary Duros. "It's here in Mill Creek." And elsewhere in Snohomish County. Operating the only licensed homes for unaccompanied teens ages 12-17 in the county, Cocoon House is on the front lines in the battle to reduce youth homelessness and return stability to the home. http://edmondsbeacon.vi ll agesoup. com/p/cocoon-house-surrounding-homeless-kids-with-h... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 112 of 150 Cocoon House: Surrounding homeless kids with hope - By Brian Soergel - Edmonds, WA... Page 2 of 3 Sarri Gilman, a marriage and family therapist, founded Cocoon House in 1991 and served as its executive director for 10 years. Cassie Franklin, a member of the Everett City Council, is the current director. Originally an eight -bed emergency shelter, Cocoon House now has its headquarters in downtown Everett, which includes a 20-bed transitional home for those 12-17. It also has short- and long-term shelters elsewhere in Everett and Monroe. Cocoon House is ]mown for its street outreach, where up to 30 advocates go where the homeless and at -risk teens are: parks, campgrounds, malls, transit stations and, of course, the streets. Cocoon House spokesman Julio Cortes said that the nonprofit's advocates reached more than 1,600 young people last year. Many of the area's teen homeless first encounter Cocoon House's services at its drop -in center near its Everett headquarters. It's there where they can grab some food, clothing, first aid and hygiene kits, in addition to obtaining referrals for medical, mental health and substance -abuse treatment. The drop -in center is where you'll find 26-year-old Nicolas Quijano when he's not outside the office speaking with kids, visiting schools, food banks and places where young people simply hang out. In a typical week, he said he can encounter 40 to 50 kids who may need help or he's working to get back on their feet. "One of first things I tell them is that we don't work for a school district or an organization that has specific expectations of them," Quijano said. "My job is to meet them where they are and help them with goals they want to work on." He said he encourages them to come by the drop -in center, give him a call or text him. "I tell them to ask questions. If they don't like what I say, that can be it. But if they're interested, we can meet them in a variety of ways." Cocoon House will have to call Child Protective Services or the police if a youth reports physical or sexual abuse. If a runaway seeks help, parents have to be notified. Cocoon House isn't just about helping homeless youth. It's also about helping their parents or guardians. "Parents sometimes don't know their options," Quijano said. The nonprofit uses a nationally recognized prevention program of phone consultations, parent education and supportive programming to increase parent or guardian knowledge of and ability to manage their teens. In addition, Cocoon House offers a 13-hour intensive workshop with teens and parents or guardians to increase communication and trust. If homeless teens don't get help from Cocoon House or somewhere else, they can easily become sexually exploited, Cartes said — boys and girls, but especially girls, often as soon as they hit the streets. "She could find that nice person who's going to help for awhile but ends up grooming her and sexually exploiting her." Youth exploitation is increasingly common, especially along the Interstate 5 corridor, Cortes said. "Pimps and gangs use that corridor to transport youth from city to city and from state to state. It doesn't exclude cities like .Mill Creek, Edmonds and Mukilteo. During the last few years, gangs moved away from dope dealing to make money to pursuing, through social media, vulnerable teens who they groom so they sexually exploit them. It's a resource they can reuse and get money without having to buy drugs. "So we want to make contact as soon as possible, and get them off the streets. The longer they're on the streets, the more susceptible they are to these predators." http: //edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/p/cocoon-house-surrounding-homeless-kids-with-h... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 113 of 150 Cocoon House: Surrounding homeless kids with hope - By Brian Soergel - Edmonds, WA... Page 3 of 3 Where the money comes from Cocoon House gets 40 percent of its funding from state and federal grants. The majority of money comes from fundraising campaigns (including third -party ftmdraisers), community support and donations. In September, Rep. Rick Larsen announced a $200,000 federal grant for Cocoon House. Larsen had visited the organization to learn more about its operations and funding needs. "Cocoon House plays a critical role in Snohomish County by offering teens in need a safe place to seek housing and other resources," he said. "I am pleased Cocoon House is receiving this federal investment so the organization can continue helping young people secure homes and a strong future." Cocoon House's most recent fundraising drive, also announced last week, is called Give for Love. Cortes said the organization is asking 250 people to make a gift of $250 to benefit homeless youth in Snohomish County. Of course, donations of any amount are appreciated. "Without community support," Cortes said, "we wouldn't be able to operate." Cocoon House resources Main office: 2929 Pine St., Everett, 425-259-5802 Emergency shelters: 2726 Cedar St., Everett; 15203 Plainview Place, Monroe Drop -in center: 1421 Broadway, 425-259-5802, ext. 117; 425-387-6262 (Spanish) Phone consultations: 425-317-9898; 425-339-4179 (Spanish) Tuesday evening support groups: 2929 Pine St., Everett; 215 W. Mukilteo Blvd., Everett (Spanish) Parenting workshops: 425-317-9898 Safe places (where staff trained to get help for homeless teens): All Sno-Isle Libraries, Snohomish County Boys & Girls Clubs; Everett Transit; YMCAs; two Workforce Development Centers Take a Closer Look initiative: www.savesnocokids.or Give for Love campaign: www.cocoonhouse.org/.giye4lo_ye, #GIVE4LOVE Website: www.cocoonhouse.ora Social media: www.facebook.com/Cocoonliouse; www.twitter.com/Cocoon House http://edmondsbeacon.villagesoup.com/p/cocoon-house-surrounding-homeless-kids-with-h... 2/23/2016 Packet Page 114 of 150 What We Provide: Everett Gospel Mission everetf gospel mission What We Provide About EGM How You Can Help Contact Us News & Blogs What We Provide Everett Gospel Mission is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless and at -risk individuals throughout Snohomish County. Located in four separate facilities, we provide most of the shelter services available to homeless women, children and men in a three county area. At each of these facilities, we promote accountability, motivation and spiritual growth for those who wish to make long term life changes. We help women and men break the cycle of homelessness, poverty and dependence, and move toward a life of hope and promise. Everett Gospel Mission is open 365 days a year, offering three nutritious meals as well as overnight shelter to those who are in need. Each day, our facilities offer the following assistance: • Hot Nutritious Meals • Overnight Shelter • Daily Chapel Services • Showers • Laundry • Clothing • Blankets • Food Baskets • Needs Assessment and Case Management • Resource Referral • Medical and Dental Assistance (In partnership with Medical Teams International) In addition to emergency services, we offer recovery programs for both women and men at separate locations. These programs are individually designed for each person, and consist of 90 day, 6 month and IS month tracks. These long term recovery programs include such items as • Daily Chapel Services • Life Skills Classes (Anger Management, Parenting, Employment Prep, Substance Abuse and Financial Management) • Therapeutic Day Care • Intensive Case Management • Resource Referral • Work Therapy Of course, our programs offer much more than what is touched on here. We invite you to look inside to find out more details about each of our various programs! DONATE NOW Like us on Facebook Email Sign Up Get Important Updates! Name Email i Subscribe Need help? We provide overnight shelter for men, women, and children in need. Contact Us Mission Tours Our next tour date is: Thursday, March 10, 2016, Saturday, March 12, 2016 from 9:30-11:30am Find Out More http://www.egmission.org/what-we-provide/ 2/23/2016 Packet Page 115 of 150 Women & Children's Shelter: Everett Gospel Mission What We Provide About EGM Hovv You Can Help Contact Us News & Blogs everett gospel mission Women & Children's Shelter The fastest growing segment of Snohomish County's homeless population is women and children. Over 40% of the known 2,300 homeless people in our community are women, and there are over 800 homeless children in Snohomish County. Whether fleeing domestic violence, losing a job, trapped in substance abuse or other issues, women and children who are desperate for safe shelter are welcomed at Everett Gospel Mission with open arms. With our addition the Mission now has bed space for 100 women and children. The Women and Children's Shelter offers much more than safe warm shelter, however. Each person who arrives at our shelter undergoes a detailed intake assessment which helps us evaluate her individual needs. Based on this evaluation, we develop — with each person — a customized program to help them and their family pursue stability and a future of hope and promise. Each adult residing at our women and children's shelter is offered intensive one-on-one case management, Bible studies, Life Management classes, and a specialized 12-step recovery group. Our goal is to provide everyone who comes to us with a new set of tools around which to build a transformed life. Each family has access to nutritious meals, comfortable beds, clean clothing, mentoring, Bible studies, life -skills classes and other help they need to get off the streets for good. Children have a comfortable place to do homework, plus get help if they need it, increasing their odds of success in school. This comes at a critical time when more than 800 mothers and children are waiting for housing in Snohomish County. Their average wait for emergency housing can be as long as six months to a couple of years!. Women and children are out there right now waiting for these beds They are in need ofa warm, secure, sheltered environment where God can restore their lives physically and spiritually. DONATE NOW Like us on Facebook Erriail Sign Up Get Important Updates! Name I I Email -- Subscribe Need help? We provide overnight shelter for men, women, and children in need. Contact Us Mission Tours Our next tour date is: Thursday, March 10, 2016, Saturday, March 12, 2016 from 9:30-11:30am Find Out More http://www.egmission.org/women-and-childrens-shelter/ 2/23/2016 Packet Page 116 of 150 Men's Shelter: Everett Gospel Mission What We Provide About EGM How You Can Help Contact Us News & Blogs everetl gripe! mission Men's Shelter DONATE NOW Each day, hundreds of men who have run out of options turn to the Everett Gospel Mission I Like us on Facebook for help. Whether they come for a meal, for shelter, or just for a shower and a change of clothing, each is welcomed and treated with dignity and respect. And every person who comes through our doors is offered help to address his physical, emotional and spiritual Email Sign Up needs. Get Important Updates! As the only shelter for homeless men in Snohomish County, we provide these services 365 days each year. On average, 145 men will stay with us each night, Name and many more will utilize our Day Center to gain access to other critical services. And while we are dedicated to providing these outreach services, our true goal is to change Email lives and provide a gateway to a stable future. It is often through providing three daily meals or our outreach program that men decide to join our long-term residential programs. _ Everett Gospel Mission's residential programs include addiction recovery, individual case Subscribe management, education and work therapy all within a faith -based environment. Our approach offers long-term, practical solutions to the many issues relating to homelessness, and we strive to help each individual develop pathways that restore the hope and promise of living the life God has designed for them. Need help? We provide overnight shelter for men, women, and children in need. Contact Us Mission Tours Our next tour date is: Thursday, March 10, 2016, Saturday, March 12, 2016 from 9:30-11:30am Find Out More http://www.egmission.org/mens-shelter/ 2/23/2016 Packet Page 117 of 150 Win 2-1-1 - Program Details - Mental Health Services for Children and Adults - Affordab Page 1 of 2 Locations • Affordable Counseling 7907 212th St. SW, Edmonds, WA 98026 ervice Details • Next Service > • < Previous Service • Save Resource ental Health Services for Children nd Adults Agency: Affordable Counseling �907 212th St. SW !Suites 20013/201 s, WA, 98026 Map (425) 778 - 5544 Vl-Sa, 9am-8pm. Appointments vary based on .ity of clinicians. Description iealth counseling services for almost all major mental sues concerning adults, teens, children, and couples. Anger Management, Anxiety/Panic, Attachment Jes, Bipolar Disorder, Career Change, Cancer/Serious depression, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Grief/Loss, Counseling, Mood Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive eliaviors, Parenting Difficulties, PTSD, Sexual Abuse, Stress. cessibility features: Wheelchair accessible tyment options: Low-Cost/Sliding Scale; Private Pay; iding Fee Scale or children and adults without insurance. icatiou Instructions (425) 778-5544 to make an appointment. Intake will be ig the call; patient information and payment arrangements. http://www.resourcehouse.com/WIN211/details.aspx?AgencyID=13591 &LinkID=91 CF30... 2/18/2016 Packet Page 118 of 150 Win 2-1-1 - Program Details - Mental Health Services for Children and Adults - Affordab... Page 2 of 2 walk ins. Will take referrals, but not required. Client or ant of minor must call directly. ees are based on ability to pay. ess Hours -Sa, 9am-8pm. Appointments vary based on availability of ;Area Served Snohomish County ebsites htt:/hvww.nivaffordablecounselina.com lhttr)://www.m)-affoi-dablecoLitiseling.com I Telephones: types, numbers and hours Typ 'I Number f-Iours ain'425 778 - 5544 Last Update I13/2015 • Next Service > • < Previous Service • Save Resource http://www.resourcehouse.com/WIN211 /details.aspx?AgencyID=13 591 &LinkID=91 CF30... 2/18/2016 Packet Page 119 of 150 Are You Homeless? - Housing Authority of Snohomish County Are You Homeless? Homeless individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at -risk of homelessness and who want to connect with available homeless prevention, housing, and mainstream services may call or go to any coordinated entry site for an intake assessment to access housing resources available in Snohomish County. Please follow this link h ://snohomishcoun a. ov/2238/Investin -In-Futures and scroll down for a list of coordinated entry sites, phone numbers, and more information. HASCO has several programs that provide both housing and/or supportive services to assist homeless households on their journey to self-sufficiency. These programs include the Assertive Engagement Specialist for homeless families with children on HASCO's Section 8 waitlist, the Service -Enriched Project -based Voucher Program for homeless families with children, and the HUD-VASH program for homeless veterans. Assertive Engagement Specialist If you are homeless, have children under the age of 18, currently reside in Snohomish County, and are currently on HASCO's Section 8 waiting list, you may be eligible for services through Volunteers of America Western Washington to assist you in obtaining housing. Please call 425-259-3191 x13001 for more information. Service -Enriched Project -based Voucher Prog am HASCO's Service -Enriched Project -based Voucher Program serves homeless families with children by providing a rental subsidy and supportive services to them. The YWCA of Seattle - King Count - Snohomish County(https://www.Meaworks.orNetCommunit /Pa e.as x? id�446 , Catholic Community Services Gitq2://www.cesww.org/site/PageServer) , Housing_ Hope(httpJ/www.housinghope.oro , and Volunteers of AmericaG1gp-//www.voaww.orgZJ artner with HASCO to provide supportive services to the households, which include ongoing case management, life skills classes, chemical dependency treatment, mental health services and job training programs. Once the family successfully completes their service plan, they receive a tenant -based voucher and can move to market -rate housing. HUD-VASH Pro am for Veterans HASCO partners with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Seattle Division [http://www.pugetsound.ya.goy to provide HUD-VASH vouchers to homeless veterans in Snohomish County. HASCO provides the HUD-VASH rental subsidy to the veteran and the VA provides ongoing case management services. Interested veterans should talk to their VA social worker about the VASH program. If you are a homeless veteran and do not have a VA social worker, please call 206-277-6768 and ask for "A consult for referral to VASH." Packet Page 120 of 150 Emergency Shelters If you need a place to stay tonight, you can call these emergency shelters at the phone numbers listed to see if there are any available beds. This list may not include all of the emergency shelters operating in Snohomish County. Household DTg Emerizency Shelt Victims of domestic violence 24-hour crisis hotline operated by Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County (http:llwww.dvs-snoco.org/index :425-252-2873 Women with children can also call the YWCA of Seattle — King County - Snohomish County: 206-461-4882 Families with children Everett Gospel Women's Mission (hilp://www.eggission.orWWhatWeProvide/ WomenChildrenShelter.as x) , 5118 South Second Ave, Everett, 425-252-1297 Interfaith Family Shelter, 2507 Cedar Ave, Everett, 425-303-9774 Lervick Family Village, 8323 272nd St. NW, Stanwood, 425-347-6556 Maud's House, 615 Cedar Avenue, Marysville, 425-259-3191 The Salvation Army Cold Weather Shelter (open periodically during the cold weather months), 2525 Rucker Avenue, Everett, 425-259-8129 Tulalip Shelter, 2817 Mission Hill Road, Tulalip, 425-716-4500 Windermere Crossroads, 3504 Norton, Everett, 425.347-6556 Youth Cocoon House: 800-259-6042 Teen parents and their kids Cocoon House: 800-259-6042 Single men Everett Gospel Men's Mission ftM://www.egMission.-ormens- shelter , 3711 Smith Avenue, Everett, 425-259-0954 The Salvation Army Cold Weather Shelter (open periodically during the cold weather months), 2525 Rucker Avenue, Everett, 425-259-8129 Single women Everett Gospel Women's Mission (hgp:Ilwww.egmission.org/women-and-childrens-shelter)_, 5118 South Second Avenue, Everett, 425-252-1297 The Salvation Army Cold Weather Shelter (open periodically during the cold weather months), 2525 Rucker Avenue, Everett, 425-259-8129 Packet Page 121 of 150 Investing In Futures I Snohomish County, WA - Official Website Page I of 3 !Investing In Futures COORDINATED ENTRY Coordinated Entry is a process for people to access the prevention, housing and/or other services that they investing in futures need. Coordinated entry incorporates uniform screening and assessment, prioritization and program matching, and connections to mainstream services to help those seeking housing and services access appropriate programs more efficiently. The coordinated entry system supports the purpose of Snohomish County's Continuum of Care and its governing board, the Partnership to End Homelessness, which is to promote community wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families who are currently experiencing homelessness or at -risk of homelessness. ELIGIBILITY Coordinated entry homeless housing navigation is available to all individuals and families in Snohomish County who are currently living in homeless shelters or places not meant for human habitation: the streets, in cars, tents or structures without plumbing or running water. Those individuals and families who are at - Packet Page 122 of 150 risk of homelessness: will be living in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation very soon without assistance, are eligible to work with a homelessness prevention navigator. AVAILABLE SERVICES Homelessness prevention navigators work with coordinated entry participants to identify a strategy for staying housed. They help households address and resolve their immediate barriers to housing stability, which can include negotiating with landlords, identifying subsequent housing options and connecting participants with mainstream services to address issues such as lack of income, employment, or health insurance. Housing navigators work with individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness to locate and maintain housing. Because housing resources are scarce, housing navigators focus on stabilizing the majority of households through the use of short-term interventions and connections to mainstream services. Housing navigators also connect those who need long-term housing and supports to the appropriate housing programs to meet their needs. Coordinated Entry Sites YWCA (42Q T7"$0 axi 24R VaIlwTbaa of Amor74q Emrdi and Hip1y� �Y (t25] 27 Sb23:3 anail[xnlrJs CtKnty Yd1Kan's Aa�ynae I42"366 II67 Nar%*WLffW 2•", I n AHell -1 (ft"223874E Crxnacllc Yidanvr $aFACC of BnofSp =0 0 CgSWly { 42C(7A62E27 axl. 7916 Cal7wpa ComwAr�fly >!a rMpq� Canba1 Cqu11{y [424}871.6896 Yals:dgwaol Am�i�a (4F7i�184 COCoantio Yaa.g Aq�Ip� s+rl7earm [i2Ei7�SiT COORDINATED ENTRY SITES Individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at -risk of homelessness and who want to connect with available homeless prevention, housing, and mainstream services may call or go to any coordinated entry site for an intake assessment. If eligible to work with a navigator, a referral will be made to the navigation site that is best able to Packet Page 123 of 150 meet the household's needs. While coordinated entry sites are open to all eligible households, specialty sites have been designated to work with specific populations and regions within the county. These sites have been selected to serve specific populations and regions because they are familiar with the resources available to that population or area. HELPFUL NUMBERS Customer Service 425-388-3411 Sheriffs Office 425-388-3393 Human Resources 425-388-3411 Public Works 425-388-3488 Parks & Recreation 425-388-6600 Treasurer 425-388-3366 HELPFUL LINKS County Sheriff's Office Planning & Development Services Public Records & Disclosures Focus On Farming Snohomish County Tourism Bureau Snohomish County Tomorrow County Or anization Chart http://snohomishcountywa.gov/2238/lnvesting-In-Futures 2/18/2016 Packet Page 124 of 150 PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT Thursday, July 14, 2016 Everett I l i gh School 2416 Colby Avenue, Everett. WA Interested in providing services at Project Homeless Connect? PNWA SERVICE AT CH s What is Project Homeless Connect? Project Homeless Connect (PHC) is an annual, one -day event that brings together, in a single location, a wide variety of community volunteers and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Direct services are provided on site to help combat homelessness and related issues. For the eighth year in a row, PHC will be held in Everett. In 2015, we served approximately 1,000 clients at the event. A total of 348 staff from 90 programs and 164 volunteers made this event possible. Of the attendees, 202 people received haircuts, 159 dogs and cats were examined, and 361 individuals received medical services. Additional details are contained in the Final Report. The 2015 Homeless Point in Time count in Snohomish County showed 966 people in 743 households Packet Page 125 of 150 without a permanent place to stay. Of the individuals counted this year, an estimated 200 (210/6) were homeless children under the age of 18; 68 were homeless veterans. Everett Gospel Mission organized the meal service this year, and 1,282 meals were served. Guests had a choice between lemonade or iced tea, soup or salad, and chicken or sausage with pasta, plus vegetables on the side. One of the hallmarks of Project Homeless Connect is that volunteers provide table service to participants. Guests at the event also had the option of receiving a backpack with toiletries, a new pair of sneakers, a family portrait, vision care, immunizations and more. There was also child care available on -site. Every year, on this day, services are provided free of charge to individuals and families seeking assistance. A sample of the services that we provided includes: • DSHS eligibility screening • Social Security eligibility screening • Housing Information Medical care • Dental care • Foot care • Vision screening and eyeglass vouchers • Pet care • Haircuts • Mental health assessment and brief counseling • Substance abuse screening • Hearing screening and assistance with hearing aids • Hepatitis testing and vaccination • HIV/AIDS testing • Homeless veteran outreach • Child support services • Children's books • Hot meals • Backpacks filled with toiletries Have more questions or need more info? If you have any general questions about the event or would like additional information, please contact Project Homeless Connect at phcauwsc.or . Copyright 2005 - 2016 United Way of Snohomish County Mission: Leading positive change that transforms our community and improves people's lives in Snohomish County http://www.uwsc.org/phesnoco.php 2/18/2016 Packet Page 126 of 150 Crisis Intervention programs Snohomish County, Washington Page I of 2 Veterans • • • Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255 PRESSO Crisis Intervention CHILDHELP Phone: (800) 422- 453 Address: Sorry, no address information available for this agency. ChildhelpO is a leading national non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect. Childhelp's approach focuses on prevention, intervention and treatment. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD8, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and rec... COVENANT HOUSE- NINELINE Phone: (800) 999-9999 Address: Sorry, no address information available forthis agency. Since 1987, the Covenant House NINELINE has been helping young people in need gain immediate access to our crisis and counseling services. NINELINE is also a valuable resource for parents seeking guidance about difficult family situations, or for those desperately trying to locate a runaway child.... Ri S IS CLINIC. A INGTON RF. QOVERY HFI P LIN1- Phone: (866) 789-1511 Address: Sorry, no address information available for this agency. The Washington Recovery Help Line is the new consolidated help line for substance abuse, problem gambling and mental health, as authorized and funded by The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services' Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. The Recovery Help Line is a service of ... DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY Phone: (425) 252-2873 Address: Sorry, no address information available for this agency. Provides free and confidential services: emergency shelter, legal advocacy, support groups and domestic violence education.... EVERGREEN PARK PROFESSIONALS Phone: (425) 347-7275 Address: 127 E Intercity Ave Suite A Everett, WA 98208 view map Provides a wide variety of counseling and therapy services for individuals and families.... LUTHERAN COUNSELING NETWORK Phone: (425) 258-2955 Address: 2702 Rockefeller Ave Everett, WA 98201 Lutheran Counseling Network is a nonprofit organization of dedicated professional therapists providing a range of counseling services to the greater Seattle area and Western Washington... NATIONAL OMESTiC VIOLENCE HOTLINE Phone: (800) 799-7233 Address: PO Box 161810 Austin, TX 78716 view map The National Domestic Violence Hotline creates access by providing 24-hour support through advocacy, safety planning, resources and hope to everyone affected by domestic violence.... NATIONAL RUNAWAY SWITCHBOARD Phone: (800) 786-2929 Address: 3080 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago, IL 60657 view map Packet Page 127 of 150 Crisis Intervention programs Snohomish County, Washington Page 2 of 2 The National Runaway Switchboard provides education and solution -focused interventions, offers non-sectarian, non -judgmental support, respects confidentiality, collaborates with volunteers, and responds to at -risk youth and their families 24 hours a day.... NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE Phone: (800) 273-8255 Address: Sorry, no address information available for this agency. A free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.... NEW BEGINNINGS Phone: (206) 522-9472 Address: P.O. Box 75125 Seattle, WA 98175-0125 vuaw moo New Beginnings provides services to those whose lives have been affected by domestic violence — physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Some who use our services are in physical danger. Others are living with controlling partners in relationships that are emotionally abusive.... OPERATION LOOKOUT - NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING YOUTH Phone: (800) 566-5688 Address: 6320 Evergreen Way, Suite 201 Everett, WA 98203 View mag OPERATION LOOKOUT® National Centerfor Missing Youth is an award winning, multifaceted, and fully computerized international child - search assistance center serving families with investigative casework for any geography of ongin.... PAPF. ABU5E d INCEST NATIONAL NETWORK Phone: (800) 656-4673 Address: Sorry, no address information available for this agency. The Online Hotline provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual violence, their friends, and families over RAINN's website. The Online Hotline is free of charge and is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week!... SNOHOMISH COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT Phone: (800) 5624367 Address: 3000 Rockefeller Ave. Everett, WA 98201 view map Provides a wide variety of health and social services to individuals and families in Snohomish County.... VETERANS AFFAIRS PUGET SOUND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM Phone: (800) 329-8387 Address: Sorry, no address information available for this agency. Provides a wide variety of health and social services for veterans and their families.... VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA WESTERN WASHINGTON Phone: (425) 259-3191 Address: 2802 Broadway Avenue Everett, WA 98201 view man Our dedicated staff teaches, and empowers individuals with the tools and opportunity to lead better lives. We strive to make lasting changes in the lives of families, children, and seniors in our community. Volunteers of America has remained at the forefront of effectively serving our community's mo... http://snohomish.wa.networkofcare.org/veterans/services/subeategory.aspx?tax=RP-1500 2/18/2016 Packet Page 128 of 150 Washington Kids in Transition current projects 1. Snacks for the bus ride home provides small food bags daily for the 147 McKinney Vento students that ride one of the 13 dedicated district school buses. Washington Kids holds community fundraisers and invites local organizations to host food drives and packing parties. Community groups pack the food into small bags. Each bag contains a granola bar, crackers and cheese and a fruit cup. Bins are picked up by local bus drivers. Food is distributed on the bus. The drivers know which kids just need a snack for the ride home, or need extra food for dinner. We provide additional bins of food containing macaroni and cheese, cup of soups, ravioli. etc. for children needing additional food In the 2014/2015 school year we distributed 15,000 small bags of food to homeless children in the Edmonds School District. 2. Emergency Closets is our newest program. The closets are located at the schools and provide emergency products for the 447 homeless students that currently attend school in the Edmonds School District. Closets contain 2 family size grab and go food bags for emergency situations, granola bars, protein packs, cheese sticks, fruit cups, hygiene kits, sanitary supplies, socks, underwear, t-shirts, calculators, batteries, gift cards to local restaurants and grocery stores and basic school supplies. Items are dispersed by the onsite social worker as needed. Social workers may also call us for individual student needs. For example, this year we supplied one high school student a pair of shoes. His shoes were secured by duct tape. We supplied another family a tent and several students t-shirts, pants and undergarments. In the 2014/2015 school year, we supported 6 closets at 2 high schools, 2 middle schools and 2 elementary schools. Prior to our closet installation, teachers and social workers would often provide emergency supplies from their own pockets. Our goal is to open an addition 13 closets in the 2015/2016 school year. 3. Emergency Motel Vouchers. Families who receive a one week motel voucher must have children enrolled in the transition program through the district and be referred by the district homeless liaison. Families of domestic violence or catastrophic emergencies are given a one week motel stay including a care package with food and toiletries. This gives families a chance to breathe, to connect to local, state and federal housing resources and gives the children of the family an opportunity to continue going to school during the transition period because McKinney Vento busses can pick them up directly at the motel. The majority of the families that we assist are single moms escaping domestic violence situations. This year, we were able to help 7 families stay together. Your donations will help us continue this program into the next school year. Packet Page 129 of 150 111TH ANNIVERSARY Five Rotary clubs join together collecting 111 PAIRS OF SHOES for preschool and elementary children > Collecting NEW SHOES and SOCKS for Children. Preschool sizes 3 - 13.5 and Elementary sizes 1-6 Shoes will be '� volunteers �octn donated to •.. of America �' I totes ° WESTERN WASHINGTON^"'rs&aYc�ch/Gd .resflf a Hcras. Drop off locations from February 25 - March 24 1st Security Bank - 19002 33rd Ave W, Lynnwood HomeStreet Bank - 22001 66th Ave W, Mountlake Terrace Belly & Co - 422 Main Street, Edmonds Packet Page 130 of 150 More detail HB 2397 (Rep. Joan McBride, D-Kirkland) relates to supporting affordable housing by permitting a local government fee on demolitions that reduce potential housing stock. HB 2397 authorizes a local option fee of up to $5,000 per single family home, or $2,500 per unit to a max of $25,000 for multifamily homes when they are being demolished. Moneys collected must be deposited into a local affordable housing fund and used for that purpose. HB 2544/SB 6239 (Rep. Noel Frame, D-Greenwood/Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn) authorizes local governments to adopt a property tax exemption program for the preservation of certain affordable housing. Under the bills, cities are authorized to provide an exemption from non -state property taxes for 15 to 18 years for properties that meet certain criteria. HB 2395 (Rep. Joan McBride, D-Kirkland) supports affordable housing through a local government fee on condominium conversions. HB 2395 authorizes cities to impose a conversion fee upon property owners who convert rental units into condominiums. The fees authorized depend on the size of the building and range from $0.95 to $4.75 multiplied by the gross floor area. Moneys collected must be placed into a local affordable housing fund. HB 2442 (Rep. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo) provides a property tax exemption for certain property within an "affordable housing incentive zone." HB 2442 gives local authorities the ability to designate an "affordable housing incentive zone" where they can offer up to a 60 percent property tax exemption for single family or multifamily housing that is rented for less than 30 percent of the monthly household income of persons making at most 80 percent of the area median income. Candice Bock Carl Schroeder Jane Wall Co n to Ct . Government Relations Advocate Government Relations Advocate Government Relations Analyst candiceb@awcnet.org carts@awcnet.org janew@awcnet.org Packet Page 131 of 150 An Overview of Human Services, Homelessness & Affordable Housing in Washington State Tuesday, December 1, 2015 Dave Williams, Candice Bock and Jane Wall Snapshot: • At a point in time in 2014, about 35,900 people were provided homeless housing assistance through emergency shelters, temporary rent assistance, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing. • During the course of 2014, about 18,200 people lived outside for some period of time and 83,068 were provided homeless housing. WwNn.me."W.AW%tee State OeOartmem&Commerce,Dec b. 2014 Packet Page 132 of 150 • The 2006 Homelessness Housing and Assistance Act required state and local governments to create and update a plan to reduce homelessness in Washington. • It tasked state and local governments with guiding new investments in homeless housing using performance data informed plans. • The changes and resources necessary to end homelessness include: • Providing short-term assistance to people at imminent risk of losing their housing to prevent homelessness; • Quickly re -housing people who become homeless; • Not leaving any sub -population unserved; and, • Tailoring services (not to much, not too little, not one size). n Washington." Washinglun State Department of Commerce, December 2014. • Its primary measure is the number of homeless people at a point in time. • The Act had a goal of reducing the homeless count by 50% by 2015, • Washington is not on pace to meet this goal. • Since 2006 the overall statewide count of homeless people in WA has reduced by 14% (2014). • However, this number has inched up in recent years. In Commerce's December 2014 report this number was 29%. ssAoo .ter n.aa.,«[wna �nr..n.m...ars ss000 "Annual Report on Homelessness In Washinghsn.' WaO"ton Stag Department of Commerce, December 2014, Packet Page 133 of 150 t a Y 1' tnL L� 7.tic tlJrti � eJfc {� �♦pMyAy� lzx MON s% tin wli- DC 129% "2% uLl lnle .IS1 � •13110 •t0} Y-iO15I• D\ lyn i.f D\ America'- National Alli—eto End Homelessn—Apr112O15. LTM 1.9K Ns MT LNS 11h -L% 1)i 1XI abl9 -1755 9.1 NC IIA91 I1169 i5% ILi AR "M M. •a- 99 NO IJ59 IA69 -H.Y} uA A; 1oA95 IOX3 ISJ N¢ 3.0I6 3.n5 -!dY 16l CA u31v IIS.Sv -L9% 39l NN 13)6 I.NI rtfl5 NIA co NLo1A 9,)55 23% 19.0 NJ Ilb)1 12,002 -ZA% 13.1 cr A.aso a,LaA aox lu nn x)w 1119 -xA} 13l DC )]IL 6JM5 12s% N9.9 NV 10.556 6Ak3 LSD% ail D¢ 9OI 916 NV p.55O .311 FL Us32 47.-1 -Ili} ]IJ OX %.O] ISJLS 4l% la3 DA 16.v1 149)1 -DJ% 16.3 DN AJfI a•Se9 -59} W! oV 1•vi Lan 6.)Y - OR U.W 13Ju] .320% alp NI L.9Y 6,vs 92Y DA Mlol lioA6 IT-O u 3.v1 M. 22% IOJ AR 1413 AJL OJ% NA to 21O1 IL 13107 d 3.9'll RS T,199 IC/ S.W9 UI AAOL nA al" MD 7156 Ne 1126 M1 51223 MM 0.3)7 MO ),IPJ NS SJ]A v. —Vi A— lA93 SJaS SJ]6 19D49 aJDi iAI6 II.527 AJM 43A1 714ol ISJw •SA% -Jl% ].i% •3D% -O9Y n— a.ri Al% 61% l.O% •l5l} -TA% ISJ Ia2 0.1 9.6 IL6 IOD 3" Ili ]Ds "A 15s Ilp IA m 1.1. LW A.DY IIA fc SA" SD .5 Ip95 4}3r5 ps TM 9A15 9SLA -1 ri Il5 TX LAA9i ]9blf -31% IOl DT "M 3J -6-0f 10.6 VA 7A;4 )An -7! SS YI 11A 1 t -Tl% Vi LSS9 lASa fi% w WA WI ap55 G1w -AY 10.5 WY Z1v ]JM •uus n WY 737 9v •JJIb1S lSD '-Mllamo ApW @Oo EMHpmele550/Ss. April 2015 Packet Page 134 of 150 -342% ax 1 sun Most people experiencing homelessness do so while in emergency shelters or transitional housing, but approximately 1/3 of the national homeless population was unsheltered during a single night in January 2014. This means they were living in a place unfit for human habitation, such as on the street, in a car, in a tent or in an abandoned building. Nationwide, from 2013-2014, this number decreased by 10%. In Washington this number increased by 16.8%. Definitions • AFFORDABLE: when a household pays no more than 30% of its income for all housing costs. • COST -BURDENED: when a household pays more than 30% of its income for housing expenses. • SEVERELY COSTBURDENED: when a household pays more than 50% of its income for housing expenses. • MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME: adjusted for household size and published by HUD for states, counties and large urban areas. -Sole of Washingwn flowing Needs Assessment,' Bepartmenlof Commerce, January 2015 Packet Page 135 of 150 • There are housing affordability issues in every county in Washington. • 36% (936,260) of Washington's households are cost -burdened. • More than 390,000 households (15.2%) are severely cost -burdened. • The proportion of the lowest -earning households (earning less than 30% of the state's median family income) that are severely cost -burdened is greater than those who can reasonably afford their housing. "Stab of Washington Housing Needs Assessment" Deparsmem of Common, January2015 • In Washington State, 118,092 units of subsidized rental housing have been built using state, local, federal and private capital funds. • 40,169 tenant based rent vouchers are in circulation across the state. • For extremely low- and very low-income households, Washington State has a deficit of 327,136 affordable and available housing units — demand has increased in recent years. • Only 2500 spots were available in 2015. 'sine of WuhoNme tf"drij Need{ Afau M*W Department of Common, lanuary 2M Packet Page 136 of 150 • Since 2000, incomes in the state have declined by 2.4% but median rents have increased 7.8% in real dollars. This means that housing affordability in the '�"� c:roc+Rent state has been a growing problem over the past = 7nc decade. 3 M, N S i ill o. 3'N9 4a • Over the past year in King County rent has increased .SW m t:rl = +� by 26% ■ 1"rdcr e�Ml • Corresponding funding to deal with this issue has Yn not materialized. In fact, the federal government has I'm not provided any new Section 8 Housing vouchers in 20years. r�_,,,_��.•.�.�. YFIa�,..13�a� l t.Ar CIiF; S1iF m SFfi?; FS61 lu SiJY, Fi.W .r.2r -State ofM%Mn Wn Hawlmj Needs Assessment' Department of Commerce, January 2015 • Washington State's above -average economic and job growth is forecasted to continue, resulting in continued population increases. Most of that growth will be driven by low-income households. • The number of housing units priced for low-income households is forecasted to grow at a similar but slightly faster rate than the number of low-income households. • If the current status quo in Washington remains unchanged, it will take at least 30 years for the gap in affordable and available housing to close. Needs Assessment.' Department of CommerodanuM 2015 Packet Page 137 of 150 Medicaid & State Fund, i.,� • Used to fund outpatient/in paUent/crisis/residential services • Services for non -Medicaid or non • Local options billable services ftSources 2013-15 FY Total Number of Individuals Served FY 14 111 Federal $841,381,000* 149,866 Local $77,210,000 Total Funding 2013-15 Biennium $1.86 B * State Psychiatric Hospitals received $486.5 M & served 2,871 patients Medicaid &State Funds Local Funding 7 Federal Block Grant Funds • Used to fund • Services for non -Medicaid outpatient/crisis/residential services and services outpatient/residential State $153,526,000 Federal $280,568,000 Local $16,361,000 Total Funding 2013-15 Biennium $450 M ■ Local options 63,605 Packet Page 138 of 150 • State has requested under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act (must be budget neutral over 5 year period) 4 goals: • Reduce avoidable use of intensive, high -cost services, such as acute care hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and nursing home facilities. • Improve population health, with a focus on prevention and proactive management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, pediatric obesity, smoking, mental illness, and substance abuse for Apple Health clients. • Accelerate Medicaid payment reform to pay providers for better health outcomes. • Bend the Medicaid cost curve by two percentage points below national trend. 3 Key Initiatives: • Initiative 1: Delivery System Transformation strategies led by regional Accountable Communities of Health. • Initiative 2: A broadened Array of Service Options Enable Elderly and Disabled Individuals to Stay at Home and Delay or Avoid Need for More Intensive Care. • Initiative 3: Provision of Targeted Foundational Community Supports such as supportive housing and supported employment. Trueblood et al v DSHS (April 2015) • U.S. District Court determined wait times for mental health evaluation and restoration services for criminal defendants violated due process • Required in jail evaluations completed in seven days and • Required admission for inpatient evaluations or restoration to the state hospital in seven days • Except"unique medical or psychiatric needs" • Federal inspectors monitoring compliance with court orders by January 2016 Packet Page 139 of 150 In re D.W. (2013) • Challenge by ten psychiatric patients detained under the involuntary treatment act (RA) to emergency rooms or acute care facilities ("hospital boarding"). • Practice used due to lack of availability pending placement at a treatment facility. • Court determined practice was unlawful. • Required that people who are detained receive timely individualized mental health treatment. • Court deadline for state to comply. 2015 Legislative Responses • Additional funding for state hospital bed capacity Expanded reimbursement for local in -custody evaluations - SB 5177 • New requirements for transmission of required documentation and transport of defendants to state mental hospitals • Expanded counties'state reimbursement for in -custody evaluations when state hospital evaluators are unable to meet the 7-day requirement • Provisions for private hospital and treatment facility capacity building Packet Page 140 of 150 Bell v Boise (US District Court for Idaho) • Challenge to convictions under Boise's ordinances prohibiting camping and sleeping in public outdoor places • Section 1983 case claimed convictions violated 81h Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment • Argued that criminalizing public sleeping without adequate shelter space constitutes criminalizing homelessness itself • August 2015: Dept. of Justice "statement of interest"filed • DOJ concern about ordinances which criminalize behaviors, such as camping or sleeping in public places, when adequate shelter beds or other accommodations are lacking • ACLU letter to cities suggesting review of camping and panhandling ordinances in light of DOJ interest • September 2015: Case dismissed on procedural grounds -"standing"after Boise ordinance amended to eliminate enforcement when shelters full Packet Page 141 of 150 Everett Community Streets Initiative Task Force Report November 13, 2014 Executive Summary The Everett Community Streets Initiative Task Force was convened in July 2014 by Mayor Stephanson. The Task Force was composed of 23 members representing a broad cross section of the City, including business leaders, residents, the faith community, and leaders of the major nonprofit service agencies in Everett serving those with mental health and addiction problems and the homeless. The mission of the Task Force was to 'foster a vibrant and healthy community ... [by] better understanding] the street - level social issues in Everett's commercial core areas and identifying] potential short- and long-term actions for the community to address those issues." The Task Force met nine times, from July to November 2014. Task Force meetings were open to the public. The Task Force received dozens of written comments and held a public hearing to receive additional input. Task Force members had the opportunity visit with: local nonprofits, including a local mental health facility, a drug treatment program, a church feeding program; the Snohomish County Jail; and a panel of local downtown business owners. The group heard from local service providers, government leaders, and representatives from across the criminal justice system. Representative from Tacoma and Seattle presented their experience and recommendations to the Task Force. The group also looked at selected best practices from elsewhere in the country and reviewed the transcript of a focus group held in September with nearly 40 homeless individuals at the Everett Gospel Mission. Task Force work was supported by a team of local government staff leaders who sat at the table each meeting and actively participated in the deliberations as nonvoting members. The street -level social issues that the City of Everett is experiencing are common to other urban centers throughout the State and the nation. In Everett, these issues are most visible in the highly compact City center. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that Everett is the County seat: downtown Everett is home to the County Jail and most of the major human services providers for the entire County. The street level social issues in Everett are serious, and are in large part —but not entirely —a symptom of poverty, homelessness, mental illness and addiction. The situation negatively impacts the quality of life in the area and vitality of local businesses. Public safety is perceived by many to be diminished. The situation also raises concerns for the well-being of the individuals on City streets. The problems of urban homelessness, mental illness and addiction are complex and are addressed by many different public and nongovernmental agencies: the criminal justice system; emergency medical services and hospitals; human services and housing agencies. A successful response to the street level social issues in Everett will require a more coordinated response from all these parties —as well as the support and engagement of residents and the business community. The Task Force believes a strong, coordinated systems approach is needed to effectively address the street level social issues in Everett, and moreover, this effort must occur not just within Everett but countywide. Everett should not be the single locus of activity to address what are in fact countywide challenges. This report identifies sixteen separate strategies and over sixty supporting action items that the Task Force believes should be pursued to address the street level social issues in Everett. The recommendations range from specific public safety measures, to expanding outreach to the street population, to enhancing services and treatment available to street populations, to increasing the supply Packet Page 142 of 150 of shelter and permanent housing. in addition, the Task Force sees better public understanding, improved inter -agency coordination and communication, and selective advocacy as keys to success. The Task Force's highest priority recommendations are presented below —the first five of these are public safety action items now being pursued or endorsed by the City under the Mayor's direction. The Task Force has asked to be reconvened in March 2015, and every six months thereafter for the next two years, to review the implementation plan to be developed for pursuing Task Force recommendations, and progress made overtime. Progress on street level social issues in Everett is possible, and it is necessary. For Everett to become a vibrant and healthy community, we must care about all our citizens, and act, individually and collectively, to address the needs of all residents. Everett Community Streets Initiative Task Force Priority Recommendations November 2014 Short -Term Actions: Alcohol Impact Area(s) —designate area(s) within the City in which the sale of high alcohol content, inexpensive single -serving take out products is prohibited. Amend the aggressive begging ordinance to prohibit panhandling at intersections and on median strips without changing the associated penalty for these offenses. 7, Increase law enforcement presence in the commercial core areas (especially bike and foot patrols), and incorporate outreach to street populations into police and EMS services. Embed a social worker in EMS and police teams. Explore the use of qualified non-commissioned personnel if there are insufficient commissioned officers to implement this recommendation. k,!!� Develop a multi -agency team of emergency medical, police, jail and hospital personnel to respond to frequent utilizers (identified in consultation with business and property owners) with individually tailored plans to improve functioning of such individuals and reduce the burden on these systems. le Jail Transition Services Facility: Support the County's current proposal to convert the Carnegie Building, adjacent to the Jail, into a jail transition facility with services, caseworkers and temporary shelter for individuals released from Jail so they are not released onto the streets without resources. Expand use of therapeutic courts: Expand the City's existing Community Justice Alternatives program to include a drug court, and explore the feasibility of a homeless court and community court. Adjust jail release time from midnight to a reasonable hour when complimentary services are open. V Ensure released inmates and other dislocated individuals (for example, those released from emergency rooms or other facilities) are returned to their place of origin or where relational support is present. Packet Page 143 of 150 1) Implement best practices at meal programs. These include providing indoor waiting and serving areas, monitored restroom facilities and pro -active clean-up of neighboring areas, and engaging individuals served in the operation of the meal program where possible. Faith based communities should be convened twice a year for best practices training. Those offering meal programs should coordinate times and locations to best serve needs throughout the community. *) Map resources available in Everett for people experiencing homelessness and others in need (time of day, type, location) so service providers, governments, and the community have a clearer picture of what is going on, where. This can also be used to help get information to those in need. Short- and Long -Term Strategies: begin now —but expect this to take longer than 2 years to fully implement Increase capacity of, and access to, drop -in day centers in the City, by expanding hours, exploring the creation of additional centers and where possible expanding services and amenities available at day centers. Expand countywide capacity to effectively serve the specialized treatment needs of homeless populations, including the creation of additional triage bed capacity, medical detox treatment beds for youth and the construction of an additional detox facility in South Snohomish County. Provide more shelter bed capacity to serve a range of populations in need. 1�0 Expand use of "Housing First" Model to provide "low barrier" housing for chronically homeless individuals, after which they can begin to get treatment. Given that new housing is expensive to develop under traditional approaches, explore efforts to develop low cost and non-traditional housing options —with attached services —such as shared housing, shipping container housing, and subsidized micro -housing. 16 Replicate the successful housing levy model implemented in Seattle and Bellingham (either an Everett levy or a countywide levy) to accomplish a coordinated set of housing projects addressing community priorities. Leverage local funding by advocating for an increased allocation of State Housing Trust Fund dollars for in -City projects. tO Everett and Snohomish County must work with other cities and public agencies throughout the County to encourage them to address issues of homelessness in their own communities so there is less pressure on Everett's resources. 16 The City, County, service providers, and business community should join forces to advocate for additional state, federal and private funding resources to help address the City's street level social issues. Treatment dollars, capital dollars, outreach dollars: all are needed. Packet Page 144 of 150 2016 Advisory Groups for the City of Edmonds Boards Architectural Design Board Cemetery Board Disability Board Planning & Parks Board Commissions Arts Commission Civil Service Commission Diversity Commission Economic Development Commission Historic Preservation Commission Sister City Commission Committees Lod Rin Tax Ad vi sory Committee Mayors' Climate Protection Committee Tree Board Task Force Edmonds Waterfront Access Stud At -grade Rail Crossings Alternatives Ana! sis Disbanded or Inactive Citizen's Advisory Transportation Committee Citizens Commission on the Compensation of Elected Officials Highway 99 Task Force Library Board Parking Committee Other Edmonds Downtown Business Improvement District Hearing Examiner *Underlined means a Council member is assigned Packet Page 145 of 150 2014 Citv Council Retreat Council Priorities Dots Subject Highway 99 Economic Development Affordable Housing Long-term predictable funding for street preservation Historic preservation for downtown Year-round Development agreements 7 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 Single topic retreat Rain garden program 1 1 Storm water funding 1 Westgate and 5 Corners Comprehensive Plan Construction noise Ordinance 1 0 0 Business incentives 0 Review Comprehensive Plan Solar projects 0 0 Legislative policies for recycling projects Analyze local vs regional municipal court Public Defender contract 0 0 0 Transportation conflicts on waterfront 0 Fire District 1 contract 0 Public Safety regional jails Rebuild or replace SERS system by 2020 Packet Page 146 of 150 2015 City Council Retreat Council Priorities Dots Subject Long Range Financial Plan Review EDC 6 5 4 Highway 99 3 Citizen input 3 Emergency vehicle access to waterfront 3 Westgate 3 Staffing Boards and Commissions 3 Historic Preservation District 2 Farmers Market year round 2 Boutique hotel Staff Priorities Dots Subject 11 Long Range Financial Planning 8 Code update 7 Westgate 7 Boutique hotel Highway 99 6 5 Sunset 3 Emergency vehicle and pedestrian access to waterfront 3 Revisit Metropolitan Park District 2 Plan waterfront character and connect waterfront to downtown 2 Unifying message to public build trust 2 Improve citizen input; have more outreach to citizens 1 Complete a building maintenance survey Combined Council and Staff Priorities Dots Subject 17 Long Range Financial Plan 10 Finish Westgate 10 Highway 99 9 Boutique hotel 8 Sunset Packet Page 147 of 150 8 Code project 6 Emergency vehicle and pedestrian access to waterfront 5 Citizen outreach and citizen input 5 Review EDC 4 Metropolitan Park District 3 Waterfront plan and connect to downtown 3 Allocation of staff to Boards and Commissions 3 Historic preservation district for downtown BD1— BD5 2 Unifying message to public 1 Economic development 1 Shorter Council meetings, decrease amount of items on agenda 1 Finish Code of Ethics for Council 1 Complete a building maintenance survey 1 Vision for city 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years 0 5 Corners review 0 Increase local taxes 0 Regional Fire District 0 Rain gardens demonstration project 0 Observe boards and commissions outside of Edmonds 0 Land use, update our vision 0 Review Strategic Plan 0 Review Plan for Firdale 0 Traffic calming 0 Budgeting by Priorities 0 Finish Comp Plan update Complete Transportation Element of Comp Plan 0 Packet Page 148 of 150 2016 PLANNER JOBS OR ACTIONS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED I JANUARY I FEBRUARY I MARCH APRIL MAY DEPT I DESCRIPTION 1 5 1 12 19 26 1 2 1 9 1 16 1 23 1 1 1 8 1 15 1 22 1 5 1 12 1 19 1 26 1 3 1 10 1 17 1 24 D = i ission PH = Public Hearing p Action Packet Page 149 of 1�0 2016 PLANNER JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 6 13 20 27 7-7 D = ussion PH = Public Hearing p Action Packet Page 150 of 150